11-5 thru 11-11 Crossing the Atlantic

Nov. 5th

First sea day was a busy one.  At 9 a.m. I went to the cooking demonstration on how to make cinnamon buns.  And of course, the sampling was the best!  During that time, Doug went to the Techspert to learn about editing our cruise photos.  We both went to the Exploration Speakers Series to hear Dick Magaldi discuss “Diving for Dollars: Worth the Dangers Involved?” at 10 a.m.  He was just OK. 

Lunch was great – met two fun couples.  One of the women was a high school Spanish teacher who had taken lots of students on trips.  Now she and her husband travel to Mexico and stay there for months at a time.  She told us about it so we can explore it when we get home – but not to live for months! 

In the afternoon I went on a tour of the ship’s art.  They just recently changed their collection so they did not have the standard I-Pod do-it-yourself tour.  It was interesting, but it was done from a script, and the art director couldn’t answer any extra questions.  This picture from the pool area is the heaviest piece of art on the ship weighing in at over 3,000 pounds.  We all wondered why it was on the 2nd highest deck (given its weight)?!?!

We had an early dinner and then went to the captain’s cocktail party on the Lido deck.  It was pleasant (two glasses of champagne would make anything pleasant!)   

Nov. 6th

Our ship is on Code Orange alert – which means everything has to be served to you.  On the sister ship, the new Amsterdam, a virus broke out that put them on red alert – everyone quarantined to their cabins.  Since they had been to the same ports just a few days ahead of us, our ship was taking extra precautions. 

I went to the lecture again this morning, and decided it was the last for me.  There were a few interesting facts, but overall he just isn’t worth the time. 

There was a Mariner’s brunch at 11 a.m. that was very good.  We met some people from New York who were interesting.  The one lady had been married to New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg’s cousin, so it was an interesting conversation.

The rest of the day and evening, I spent in bed sleeping.  Turned out I wasn’t feeling so great. (But it wasn’t the virus deal going around the ship.)  Doug went to another computer class and then had pizza in the Lido (it was formal night, but I wasn’t up to it at all.)  He then went to hear the clarinetist , Larry “Link” Linkin who was pretty good – an elderly gentleman who had great talent, but was a bit past his prime. 

Nov. 7th

We had a relaxing morning and were up around 8:30 a.m. since we had such a good night’s sleep.  When we went up to the Lido, we realized we had moved into a Code Red.  Not only is everything now being served from the buffet line, there is nothing on the tables – i.e. sugar, salt & pepper, or napkins with silverware wrapped inside.  EVERYTHING is given to you by the staff.  They have even closed the library to open shelves.  Now the librarian gives you a book by request – no more browsing.  Same with movies from the front desk – no more for now since germs can be passed from people handling them.  The odd thing is – the Casino is open.  Now, don’t those little germs stay on the slot handles and poker chips?  Funny that the money making attraction is still running as usual!

At lunch, Peggy and Linda joined us.  We had a nice time and ice cream afterwards.  Back to the cabin to enjoy some down time – reading on the balcony.  Then I went to hear the Adagio string quartet that plays evenings on the ship.  They had a special concert for us in the Vista lounge.  It was very enjoyable. 

The captain announced we are in the Sargossa Sea – which is the only sea on earth without land around it.  It gets its name from the algae that grows in this part of the ocean.  The water here is a wonderful deep blue and is clear to 60 feet down (which was not possible for us to see from the ship.)  I keep hoping for dolphins, but nothing yet!

A special dinner in the Pinnacle tonight!  We enjoyed great soup, salad and steaks – but we were too full for their signature desserts!  Afterwards we went to the ship’s show – the comedy and magic of John Lenahan.  Actually, this was the best magician we’ve seen on the ship.  He did more comedy than magic, and was very entertaining.  Glad we went. 

It was another good day at sea!

Nov. 8th

Doug was up at 5:30 to try to connect to the Internet – and actually had success. 

Code Red is now over, so life will be simpler for everyone – especially the staff who had to work extra hard. 

I went to hear the talk with the magician from last night.  It was a good discussion.  I talked to him afterwards for about 30 minutes – of course telling him about the best magician in the Midwest – our very own Ted!  He had great stories, and it was an enjoyable time.

We visited with the Hotel Manager before lunch and expressed our concerns about the Internet service (or lack thereof!) on the ship.  We also did share positive comments about many of the staff.

Had lunch with Sandy and Jim – a couple we have met – and had a great time sharing travel stories.  Now I want to go to Egypt!

Afternoon was relaxing – naps and reading.  Dinner was an impromptu meeting with two other couples we had formerly dined with up in the Lido.  Afterwards went to the show to see the Unexpected Boys.  Two of them were the same ones from the Amsterdam, and their show was almost the same as on the World Cruise.  I enjoyed it more than Doug – and remembered enjoying it on the Amsterdam as well!  A stroll around the deck and back to the cabin. 

Nov. 9th

We are really rocking on this ship – have seen some really big waves!  I actually had to take a sea sick pill today – more as a preventative when I felt just the slightest bit woozy! 

Doug and I had breakfast in the Lido – and were surprised when the magician on board came and asked to join us.  I was glad Doug was able to hear some of his fun stories.  We must have talked for almost an hour and a half.

With all there was on the activities sheet for today, there was not one thing I really wanted to do.  So, I read and relaxed again.  We had a great lunch with Sandy and Jim, a couple we met on an excursion, and enjoyed a great conversation again. Took a long afternoon nap, watched a little TV (feel like such a slug – but it’s great!), and then got ready for dinner with Peggy and Linda.  Once again, fun time with interesting conversations with them. 

We then went to the show to see the magician do his final performance (a bit on the weak side) and then Roman & Svetlana do ballroom dancing.  Well, that is what we thought they were going to do – but indeed, they did a whole lot more.  They did the routine of changing clothes in five seconds or less behind a curtain on stage.  We’ve seen a similar routine before in magic shows, but never one that included some really good dancing!  So, it was a fun show.  Came back to the room and tried to watch the movie, Wall-E, but ended up falling asleep – not the movie we thought it would be.  I’m trying to catch a cold, so sleep is good right now!

Nov. 10th

Doug got up early to send E-mails, but had a hard time getting them sent – we’ll be so glad to be home for our Internet. 

We had breakfast and sat with another couple we’ve met who are very nice – and had an interesting political discussion.  We are on the other side of the fence from them, but it was a rational discussion with rational folks!  A pleasant surprise!

Had time to get cleaned up and read a bit before lunch time rolled around again – and we met the two couples we had met for lunch.  Very enjoyable time.  After lunch, I finally completed the last of my Blog entries – so glad to have that task finished!

Huge surprise for dinner! Last night as we were leaving the Vista dining room, we were handed an invitation for cocktails and dinner with the captain for formal night (tonight.)  We didn’t think too much of it until we went to the Pinnacle Bar for the 6:15 cocktails before dinner.  There were only 8 passengers, the captain, and the ship’s art director.  We were stunned.  After drinks and appetizers, we were then led to the captain’s table in the Vista dining room – which is on its own little platform between the 2nd and 3rd floors.  We had assigned seating and all couples were mixed. 

We were given a scroll menu (which was later signed by the captain) with the following menu:

Selected fruits and berries “Swan Lake” style 

or

Captain’s selection of Mediterranean Antipasto

                ***********

Cream of Chablis Soup

                ************

Grilled Beef Filet a la Wellington

            or

Basted Broiled Lobster Tails

               ************

Our Pastry Chef’s Grand Finale

             Friandises

(iced chocolate pralines filled with sorbet, served in a box of almond croquante)

            Wines

Laudum Barrel Fermented Chardonnay, Spain

Errazuriz Merlot, Central Valley Chile

         Coffee and Tea 

 

Needless to say, it was a VERY special evening and dinner.  Not only was the food delicious and the best we’ve had on any ship, the presentation was spectacular.  I only wish I could have taken pictures of each course – but that would have been a bit tacky! 

It lasted until after 9:30 p.m.  The Black and White formal ball was next where the officers and passengers have a chance to socialize and dance.  After a few dances, Doug and I decided it was time for the ball to end for us!  A perfect ending for a wonderful cruise. 

(Not bad given we were taking this picture of ourselves back in the cabin!)

Nov. 11th (Last day of cruise)

After a later night than normal for us, Doug was up and out of the room to retrieve and send the last of the e-mails before we get home.

I watched on TV the movie Knight and Day that Doug had seen at the movie theater on the ship earlier on.  Very lazy morning.

Since Doug had breakfast early when he was doing the Internet, I went to the Vista for my last real breakfast.  We had not been there the whole trip.  I sat with two other couples I had not met before.

10 a.m. was the standard disembarkation talk with all the staff coming to the stage at the end. I always enjoy that, and our room steward, Toto, was among them and we shared a big wave!  It is fun to see lots of the staff gathered together on stage as they sing a farewell song to all of us leaving.

Doug spent most of the last day or two in “ship withdrawal” – hating the thought of leaving the ship!  He could have continued on longer, but for the first time in our travels, I was ready to get home.

We completed our questionnaires, wrote all the great comments about the wonderful staff, and then had our last lunch in the Lido.  Instead of packing (which we should have done), we opted for a nap.  I went up by the pool for a bit to soak in the warm sunny weather and listen to one of the bands play as well.

Dinner was in the Lido and was a special one not like others we had been to on other ships – the “Master Chef’s Dinner.”  It was the dining staff not only serving the food, but before each of the courses, they paraded into the dining room and “performed!” It was great.  Their first act was the napkin ballet where they danced around with all the napkins and then gently tossed them to each of us.  The next act was the “salad toss.”  There was a special menu as well – and ended with baked Alaska, but not the regular parade as done on most other ships.  Our wait staff sang and danced before offering up our final course!  It was great fun.

We barely made it to the one 9:30 p.m. show where the ballroom dancers performed again for the first half of the show.  There were no costume changes, but very dramatic ball room dancing.  Then the clarinet player returned to the stage – so I did get to see him after all.  And everything Doug had told me about him was correct – good, but a bit past his prime!

Now, at almost 10:30 we began the big job of packing up.  At least this time we did not have to worry about weight or packing liquids, etc.  It was almost midnight before we were able to put our bags outside our door.  We went to bed knowing that the next night, someone else would be sleeping in cabin 6123! 

Nov. 12th

Up early to be ready to disembark when our group was called.  It was still dark, but when the sun came up, we were able to step out on our balcony and see the port area of Ft. Lauderdale.  It felt good to be back in the USA! 

Doug’s favorite little gal in the Lido made him his last omelet!  She always served him with the greatest smile.  He will miss that when he has to start pouring his own cereal into a bowl from now on!

I went out on the back of the ship after I ate and saw and heard the most wonderful thing.  There was a US marine ship docked behind ours, and as I stood looking at it, they started playing “Anchors Away” while the captain did a calling of all marines on board.  They ran in a single straight line from the nearby building and then up onto their ship.  It made my heart feel proud to be an American!

As we stood on our balcony for the last time we saw other ships come and go, as well as airplanes overhead.  It was goodbye to everyone! 

11-04 Funchal, Madeira Day 2

After our long tour of the island yesterday, we decided to just take a cab into the town center, walk around, catch up on Internet, and see some of what is there.  It was a beautiful sunny day with very mild temperatures.

Right outside their municipal theater were cafes – all Wi-Fi zoned!  So, we had a cappuccino and caught up on e-mails, etc.  We were finally able to check to see who won our Florida election races – and were sorely disappointed in the results.  Across the street from the cafe was the Sao Francisco garden which was beautiful – lots of flowers and green everywhere with water fountains and even a little outdoor amphitheater.

Continued to walk up the main avenue which was tree lined with a wide sidewalk area.  We were told to check out the Old Blandy Wine Lodge to taste the different Madeira wines made here.  We didn’t have time to do all the tasting, but went in to check it out. 

We continued up the avenue to the Se Cathedral which was built in 1514 and is the center of town. To the right of the cathedral was a charming little street lined with cafes and ended at the street running the length of the bay area.

We decided to have lunch there before heading back to the ship.  I wanted to have one last time their local fish (espada) after enjoying it so much at lunch yesterday.  What I learned was – ask for the filet!  It has no bones.  I got a piece that was grilled, but full of bones!  So, while it tasted wonderful, it was not as easy to eat.  Their beer was one of the best I’ve ever had – called “caneca.”  I don’t know if it’s local, but want to check when I get back home. 

We stopped and bought some Madeira wine before we strolled back to the place to catch the cab back to the ship.  We could have walked back, but we were running short on time.  We had to be back at the port to get all the paperwork done for VAT so we didn’t have to pay the European taxes on items we bought on the trip. 

As a side note, we bought lots of things on the World Cruise – and very little on this trip.  Doug’s big purchase was a watch and mine was a beautiful leather purse from Florence.  We didn’t have that much time in ports to shop, plus we didn’t really find a lot we wanted to buy.  SO, that will make it easy to get our things back home.

We would like to return to this town and island again.  We would spend more time in the town of Funchal because it is quite charming.  We would have liked to have walked through the market place which we were told is wonderful.  They also have a cable car that goes up to the little town of Monte and a big botanical garden.  So, we’ll save that for the next visit!

Back on the ship, we went up to the Lido deck to read on the lounge chairs as our ship left at 4 p.m.  As we passed by the island, we realized we could see it better from our deck, so we returned to our cabin and took lots of pictures of the island from the water. It is really obvious from that perspective how mountainous the island is – with lots of valleys – and all coming right down to the sea. 

We had a wonderful dinner in the Canaletto and thought about going to the show, but it was another hour to wait, so we went back to the cabin and just watched the movie Crimson Tide on our TV. 

It was a very relaxing and wonderful day – a great way to end the port segments of our trip.  Now we’re off to sea!

11-03 Funchal, Madeira (Portugal) Day 1

What a wonderful surprise the island of Madeira turned out to be.  It’s almost like a European Hawaii – mountains, valleys, flowers and water everywhere!  It is one of our most favorite ports on this cruise.

Madeira is known mainly for its wine – one of the oldest of all fortified wines.  Grape vines were introduced here in 1419.  It is a small island – only 35 miles long and 13 miles wide at its widest point, but travel time is much slower because the roads climb and drop from one ravine to the next.  The population is about 260,000, with half of that in the city of Funchal.   Funchal is the capital city of Madeira, an autonomous region of Portugal, and is located on the southern shore of Madeira.

We did a private tour with the group we went to Florence and Lisbon with.  It was the best ever!  I’m including the name of the contact for this because 1) I don’t want to lose it and 2) I would highly recommend this guide to anyone going to Madeira.  It is id-taxi@hotmail.com or www.danielmadeirataxis.com   I would probably start with the latter because Daniel was our guide and had his own taxi.

We did a tour similar to one on the ship’s tours called Unforgettable Scenery of West Madeira.  Only we made many more stops along the way because we just a group of 8 rather than the large bus groups.  Our guide, Daniel, was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable about his island.  Linda and Peggy (two of the women we had met and told us about their private tour group) had Daniel as their guide last year, but that time did the eastern part of Madeira – equally as good – just different – more coastal.

As we left the harbor area, we passed a replica of Christopher Columbus’ boat – the Santa Maria.  Very scary to think of crossing the Atlantic in such a small vessel!  Bananas are the main export of Madeira, and everywhere we looked (at the lower levels) there were banana trees growing on terraced gardens up the mountainside.  Sugar cane used to be a major export, but not anymore.  It was used for rum, molasses, and sugar.  There are only 3 sugar cane factories left and the work only requires one month a year.

Our first stop was the little fishing village of Camara de Lobos, made famous by Winston Churchill, who came here to paint.  The monument of the village is a water fountain with a sea wolf (seal) on it.  You can no longer find these seals in the bay.  They moved out to outer islands after the fishermen started killing them because they were eating too many of their fish.

Our next stop was a wonderful lookout point called Cabo Girao, the second highest sea cliff in the world at 580 meters high.  They are planning to build a glass walkway around this cliff during the next year.  It will make it even more incredible. If you looked straight down, you could see a black sand beach below.  Looking the other way, we could see the little town of Ribeira Brava, where the ship’s bus tours were stopped to have a snack. 

We next stopped briefly at Miradoura for another view.  The rock formations are such that one rick sticking out of the water looks like a submarine in a small bay area. 

Heading north across the island, we passed the area where there was a huge flood from the river running over its banks.  This was near the town of Serra de Agua.  The flood was in Feb. 20, 2010 – less than a year ago – and while huge boulders and flat areas without homes or gardens indicate the damage of this flood, the reconstruction work was amazing.  Where bridges had been wiped out, new ones have already been replaced.  Because of the valleys, the water came from both the left and right and there was no where else for it to go. 

Near this area, we saw a small village at the top of the mountain,.  The only way up or down was to use the 3,700 steps along side the hillside.  The villagers do this once a week to come to worship.

We then climbed (by car!) to the area known as Encumeada which is the only place to see views of both coasts from one point.  On one side was the small town of Ribeira Brava and on the other side was the town of Sao Vincente.  Clouds were coming in as we reached this high point, so it was tricky to take good pictures of both sides! 

All along the way we saw beautiful flowers and plants.  We learned that the lily of the valley plant has a long, straight, and strong stem that walking sticks are made from in this area.  And it is a great place for hiking, so these stems serve a good purpose.

We came back down to the little town of Sao Vicente and had about 15 minutes to walk around the area and see the church there.  It was amazingly ornate for being in such a small town.  All around the town were flowers and narrow streets – very clean.  We were surprised not to see many people, but our guide told us they were all at work.  This little town is between two mountains and most of the buildings were built behind rocks to protect themselves from pirates.

We continued to drive to an area with waterfalls, the most impressive being the one called Brides Veil.  However, there were taller ones that I thought were equally as beautiful.  In fact, the whole area around these falls was lush and green.

We stopped in the town of Porto Moniz for lunch at a restaurant called Salgueiro.  We opted for the fixed lunch which was delicious.  We started with vegetable soup, followed by the Portuguese fish (black scabbard) known as espada, served with cooked banana, ending with mango pudding.  And of course, we had the local wine.  The banana is not only served on top, it is also cooked inside the fish filet.

We had time to walk around and look at the pools that were made from the natural volcanic rock and sea. Not only were these interesting and unique, they were in a beautiful location.  Huge waves come pounding into this coastline which are made even more magnificent by the lava rock all around.  We could have stayed and watched the waves for hours.

But onward we went to the flattest land on the mountains – called the Paul da Serra Plateau.  The funniest thing we saw were lots of cows on the road.  They weren’t the slightest bit interested in us – and wouldn’t move off the road.  They were everywhere!

From the top of this plateau we could see both sides of the valley.  On one side our guide showed us the house where hikers meet and begin their long hikes throughout the valley.  If you look carefully, not only can you see the house, but above you can see the paths where the hikers walk.  What you can’t see are the paths behind the mountain and how deep the valley is.  This is truly a hiker’s paradise.  On the other side we saw the channel waters that they call Lavadas. (I have to look up the spelling of this when I get home.) They are concrete waterways that allow the water to come down the mountainside.  Hikers walk along these narrow channels.  I have never seen anything quite like this anywhere else.  I felt the water and it was clear and crisply cool. 

From there, we stopped to see the village our guide grew up in called Calheta.  He was so proud of his village (although he lives in Funchal now having spent about 20 years in S. Africa) and still hikes these mountains and guides visitors around them.

Next we drove across a huge flat field called Campo Grande.  The road has to be built a couple of feet above the field because when it rains, the field can look like a lake and flood over the road.  When we were there, it was just a flat field!

Driving down the mountain, we came to a pretty little town called Pont de Sol (sunny point.)  The road winds down to this town through narrow streets, right down to the water.  A nice hotel sits up on the rock above the town.  This is on the southern part of Madeira.

We drove back to Funchal after a long, but wonderful day.  On the way back to the ship, we passed the Reids Hotel which is famous for its lovely terraced gardens and grounds, as well as afternoon tea (which is a mere 27 Euros!)  The hotel building is 118 years old and was the first 5 star hotel on the island.

We were delighted with our guide and the whole tour!  What a GREAT day.  This island is an absolute jewel. 

11-02-10 At sea

We enjoyed this sea day after 11 port days in a row.  For the first time in 33 days on the ship so far, the activities for the day finally filled the page – and with many interesting things to do – FINALLY!  However, we chose P.E. - “port exhaustion” day!!!  We slept, read, and I worked on my Blog!  That’s it!  It was greatly needed.  We have just one port to go – Funchal on the island of Madeira where we will docked overnight. 

11-01 Lisbon, Portugal

This is my first time to visit Portugal – Doug has been to Lisbon twice, but more than 30 years ago.  Since I loved Spain so much, I was excited to see what Portugal was like. 

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal, but is a small capital with only about 1 million people.   It is Europe’s westernmost capital and grew along the northern bank of the Tagus River.  The city is on a hillside for the most part and is often compared to San Francisco – especially with a similar looking bridge that was built by the same architect. 

The city is divided into different and distinct sections.  Much of the city was destroyed by an earthquake and tidal wave in 1755.  The only part that was not damaged was the old Moorish quarter of town known as the Alfama.  

Legend claims that Ulysses established Lisbon, but scholars argue it was probably Phoenicians sailors instead.  Explorers such as Vasco da Gama departed from Lisbon in search of a route to India, and instead discovered new lands.

Since we didn’t get into Lisbon until mid-morning, we were able to watch the sail in.  It is a wonderful city for that – with the suspension bridge built in 1966 and other monuments that could be seen from the water.  Overlooking all of it is the 752 foot figure representing Christ the King towering on a hilltop along the southern bank of the Tagus.  It is similar to the one in Rio de Janeiro.  The other impressive monument was the one to the Discoveries.  It honors the explorers who brought Portugal great power and riches centuries ago.  The third is the Belem Tower which looks like it is part of a small castle.

We did a private tour with Peggy and Linda’s friends again.  Unfortunately, the tour guide was brand new and didn’t have a microphone in her 9 passenger van, so we couldn’t hear much of what she was describing.  And unfortunately, it was All Saints Day, so all the museums, etc. were closed. 

We began in the area called Belem.  We went to the Monastery of St. Jerome, King Manuel’s giant 16th century, white limestone church and monastery with remarkable cloisters, one holding Vasco da Gama’s tomb.  Our guide dropped us off, but was not aware we could not tour it because it was a holiday.  However, we were able to walk into the back area as there was a mass being celebrated.  It was actually special seeing it this way, with the smell of incense everywhere.  The front of this building is extremely ornate.

We then walked through gardens to see the Monument to the Discoveries.  It looks like a sail boat, but up close are the detailed statues of the explorers. 

 

Prince Henry the Navigator is at the prow along with Vasco da Gama and Magellan (holding a globe.)

We then walked back to the street to buy a special custard pastry this area is known for.  You can eat in or take out.  There were long lines for take out, so we went in and also had some pizza with the pastry.  It was very good.  The place is called Pasteis de Belem, and was established in 1837.  It is a very popular place with the locals as well as tourists!

Back in the van, we went not much further to see the Belem Tower, a UNESCO site. It looks like a small castle or chess piece.  The turret is the symbol of Portuguese national heritage.  On top of the structure, Our Lady of Safe Homecoming is a welcoming beacon for seafarers.  It was built as a fortress to defend the harbor of 15th and 16th century Lisbon. Because it was a holiday (and Monday), we couldn’t climb up to the top for a view of the river. 

We walked on a little further and saw the Maritime Museum with soldiers in front (closed, of course!)  There was an interesting water park area near it. 

We drove quickly past the Estrela Church, whose stone dome is one of Lisbon’s best known landmarks.  Queen Maria I built it in the late 18th century in fulfillment of a promise to God for giving her a son.

We all decided we wanted to see the “fairytale” town of Sintra, about 20 miles northwest of Lisbon.  It is one of Portugal’s oldest villages.  It is known for its 14th century National Palace (once the royal family’s summer residence) and Pena Palace. 

The National Palace has two tall black towers that are rather unique in their appearance.  They are not particularly attractive, but are a landmark all the same.  It is right in the town itself.

In contrast is the beautiful Pena Palace – which was worth the whole trip.  It truly is magical, including the drive through the forest to get there.  Once there, you can walk or take little green bus to the palace itself.  We opted for the bus because we were short on time.  We wish we had come hours earlier. 

Many poets, including Lord Byron in his famous Childe Harold, have described the beauty of Sintra and its mountain range. And this palace sits on the peaks of this mountain.  It was originally the site of a monastery in the 16th century.  It wasn’t until 1838 that Fernando II decided to first rebuild the monastery, and then changed his mind and decided to build a romantic castle-like palace.

Through the main gate you cross over what was a wooden draw bridge.  It leads to the spiral tunnel to get to the rest of the castle.  On either side of the gateway are two watch towers. 

Once inside, there are terraces, arches, beautiful tile work adorning the walls, a clock tower, and multi colored buildings which are all part of the palace.  The views from the walls are spectacular.   We didn’t have time, but you could walk all along the outer walls of the palace.  We went to the residence part of the palace, but were not allowed to take pictures inside.  The rooms were elaborately decorated with ornate furniture and art work.  And each ceiling was different in the different rooms.  They had a chapel that was beautiful as well, with an ornate alter piece.  There is no way to describe how beautiful this whole place is – so I bought a book with some pictures, but even that doesn’t do it justice.

You really need a day to spend at the palace  - and to be able to walk through the beautiful park and gardens.  They are as amazing as the palace itself.  You need a map to find your way through the park it is so large.  We all agreed that Sintra and the palace were the highlight of the day – and we all want to return to spend much more time here. 

We went back to the little town of Sintra to walk around and have a snack before heading back to Lisbon.  It was starting to get dark by now.  By the time we returned to Lisbon, it was dark, so we were only able to see the rest of the city by night.  While it was very picturesque, I would like to return to see it during the day. 

We drove down Liberty Avenue which is the largest in Lisbon.  It used to be a walled street, only used by the aristocracy.  It was built that way after the earthquake.  It was 100 years later before the city took down the walls and named it “Liberty” since it was now open to everyone. 

We drove through parts of most of the major areas in Lisbon – the Alfama (where the Fado music is prevalent), the Baixa area (the old business and shopping district) where the Black Horse Square (Commerce Square) borders one side and the Rossio Square on the other end, across from the train station.  This area is the heart of Lisbon.  Our final stop was at a lookout point where we were able to see so much of the city with all its lights.  We also saw on the top of a hill the Castle of Sao Jorge.  I’d like to come back and see all of this again, and take a tour of that castle.

As we were getting ready to get back on the ship, we asked where we could do our Internet.  Doug had carried around the laptop all day hoping to find a spot.  Right across from the ship’s dock was a train station, so we went and searched out an Internet spot.  After asking many cafe clerks, we finally found some official police who showed us where to try.  It was back in the original cafe where we had started our search.  They were very kind and waited to see if it worked.  When it didn’t, they told Doug to just walk with them to a spot.  I assumed he’d be back in just a few moments. 

Thirty minutes later, I was getting worried that he had been absconded by these men posing as police (it’s amazing the power of the imagination!) I gathered up Doug’s backpack and computer case, and started walking up and down the train platform in search of him.  I was nearly ready to try to find new police when I heard him call my name.  Needless to say, I fell into his arms, grateful and crying.  He had no idea why!  So, after some explanations, etc. we finally got the computer to work.  By this time, I could have cared less.  But since the next day was a day at sea, I knew I needed to check and respond to e-mails.  SO, if you were one of the people who received one from me that evening, just know what it took that night to send you one!!  I can’t remember when I have felt so afraid and alone, and not sure what to do.

10-31 Seville, Spain

Happy Halloween!  The ship was totally decorated and in the spirit with everything black and orange – and lots of carved pumpkins everywhere! 

Today we arrive in the port of Cadiz, Spain.  However, we did not see this town as we set out early to the city of Seville, which is about a two hour drive from Cadiz.  It would be worthwhile to come back and visit this city itself since it is the oldest city in Europe – over 3,000 years old.  It is also different from other cities in this region because of its ties with Central America – and thus that influence is reflected in the city.   Behind a city wall is its historical quarter with some of the buildings over 200-300 years old.  There are also about 100 watch towers build by the owners of ships – built to protect their individual ships. 

We took the ship’s tour called “Stunning Seville” and really enjoyed our entire day.  There were many similarities to our visit to the Alhambra yesterday.  Seville is the 4th largest city in Spain with a population of 750,000.  It is flat – no mountains – with the Guadalquivir River running through the city.  It means “big river,” and it helped make Seville the rich city it was because of its ability to export products to Rome. 

As we arrived, we were stunned by the beautiful pavilions from the 1929 Exposition held in Seville.  The ones built for the 1992 Expo were temporary buildings – very unlike the magnificent ones in 1929. 

Off the bus we began our walk from the first naval university – now a government building – which looked like a palace in its Baroque style.  Above the entrance Saint Telmo holds a ship in his hand.

Continuing on we passed the most beautiful Hotel Alfonso – a five star hotel – built in the Moorish style for the 1929 Expo.  If money were no object, this would be the place to stay!

Our first stop was Seville’s masterpiece and equivalent to the Alhambra – the Reales Alcazares (Royal Fortresses) or the Alcazar. It was built 600 years ago by Christians to look Moorish.  However, the Christian symbols of castles and lions can be seen throughout it.  And like the Alhambra, individual pictures don’t really do it justice, so I bought a book! The above picture is the Hall of Ambassadors with a beautiful domed ceiling.  If the King and Queen are in Seville and staying here, the public is not allowed to visit.

The gardens of the Alcazar were absolutely beautiful with water and green everywhere.  We learned about orange trees in this area – the decorative ones have sour fruit and can be identified by the leaf – which is two part (upper small, larger bottom.)  They planted (and still do) lots of these for decoration and for their sweet fragrance. 

We then went through the old Jewish Quarter which is now in what is called Santa Cruz and is one of the most beloved and popular areas for the people of Seville.  There are only about 80 Jewish families living in Seville today, and they don’t have their own quarter as they did before when King Ferdinand gave them their own area.  At that time they built narrow streets to keep the sun from coming in as much and so they could be cooler in the summer.  In this area is a little center park with a monument including a cross that the Christians put up after taking down the synagogue.   Murillo, the Spanish artist, is said to be buried under this monument.

We walked around the streets briefly.  We had 15 minutes for shopping – so we bought Spanish bookmarks for our grandchildren, a book about Seville, and a blue and white tile plate because the tiles are made in Seville and representative of the area.  We also went down what is commonly called the “street of kisses” because the balconies are so close together, you could kiss from them on either side of the street!  Our guide told us that the houses look rather plain on the outside, but when you go inside, there is an amazing transformation – with many rooms coming off the beautiful center garden patio area.

Back on the bus, we drove by the old tobacco factory where 4,000 women used to roll cigars by hand.  This is where the story of Carmen originates.  

Our next stop was the Espana Square.  It was built for the 1929 Expo as Spain’s pavilion.  It is a semicircle (200 meters) of two story colonnades that end in two high and stylized towers.   Between this and the actual square is an artificial channel where boats go up and down.  There are several tiled bridges that connect the square to the colonnade area.  In addition, there are 54 small ceramic tiled areas (each representing a province in Spain in alphabetical order) with tiled benches where visitors could read and watch events.  If you put all these tiled areas together, it would tell the history of Spain.

Back on the bus, we drove past the Pavilion of Seville which is now a theater.  Also, we saw another one of the city’s landmarks, the Torre del Oro or the Tower of Gold built in the 12th century. It used to be covered in gold tiles, and thus its name, although the tiles are long since gone.  It was originally used (along with a similar tower on the other side of the river) as a protection for the port and city.  It is also where ships that arrived from the New World would unload their treasure next to this tower.  It now houses a Naval Museum. 

We also passed the famous bullfighting ring called the Real Maestranza.  It is an honor for bullfighters to fight  in this ring.  It is closed now – only open between April and October – a fight every Sunday at 6 p.m. 

We had lunch at the Macarena Hotel.  It too was a buffet with long lines for all the buses, but at least the food was better – and for Doug, there were other choices besides paella. 

We had to wait until after lunch to go to the Cathedral since it was Sunday and services were in the morning.  Since it was a holiday weekend, there were long lines, but we were fortunate to be in a group with a different entrance – and much less of a line.  This cathedral was originally a Muslim mosque. There are only two parts that remain today of that original structure – the outside courtyard where people cleansed before entering and the Giralda tower which was the minaret used to call people to prayer.  This tower is another symbol in Seville and one of the most admired in the world.  Inside, instead of stairs, there were 35 ramps with a gentle ascent.  It seems this was originally made this way for horses.  After the 1355 earthquake, the tower was renovated and made higher – with a crowning that moves with the wind.  That is why it has the name “giralda” which means weather vane.

The Cathedral of Seville is a Christian Gothic church and the third largest in the Christian world after the Basilica of St. Peter in Rome and St Paul’s Cathedral in London.  Unlike most other churches we have seen, the main alter and choir are in the center (rather than the front) of the church called the Main Chapel.  Above the main alter is an incredible wall of golden squares – each one designed to teach a Christian lesson.  In the middle, a larger square shows the birth of Christ.  The golden grille that closes to protect this wall is stunning as well. There is also another alter area with silver chalices in contrast to all the gold.

In another part of the church is the mausoleum of Christopher Columbus with four pages carrying his coffin.  Columbus’s remains have moved from Seville to Santa Domingo (Dominican Republic), to a couple of other places before now finally resting in this cathedral.  DNA was done on the remains to prove it was actually Columbus’.

This was our last stop before returning to Cadiz to board our ship.  We really liked our guide who gave us a great overview of this city.  And not surprising, we want to return here as well.  While we saw a lot, there is still so much to see. 

We had our Halloween dinner in the Vista dining room which was decorated for the occasion.  We then went to the ship’s show to see the comedian Tom Sutton.  He was actually fairly good.    We had hoped to stay up for the parade of costumes, but were so pooped out from the day’s excursion, we had to skip.  

Message to my readers

We are in our last port (Madeira), and leave today for a 7 day crossing.  I am 3 ports behind in my Blog – Seville, Lisbon, and Madeira – all great and worthy of my time to write them up well.  So, I will write them during my days at sea and publish as soon as I return home – Nov. 12th.   We are looking forward to a more relaxed trip for the next 7 days and will be all refreshed and ready for our return home.  Thanks for reading and all your e-mail comments. 

Mala10-30 Malaga, Spain

It was still dark when we left for our tour today around 7 a.m., so we didn’t see much of the city of Malaga until we came back at the end of the day.  However, it is mainly a pedestrian town that decided to take advantage of cruise ship travel, so the city put money into making it a desirable location for port stops.  We’d like to see it on another visit to southern Spain.

The whole southern area of Spain is called Andalusia.  This area was occupied by the Moors from 711 to 1492 (about 8 centuries.)  Muslims invaded the Iberian peninsula in 711.  It only took three years – an easy invasion – because the people weren’t happy with their leaders at the time.  The Moors named the area Andalusia which means “land of vandals.”

After 1492 the Christians re-conquered this area.  Malaga and Granada were the last areas the Moors left.  This was due to money only.  The Moors paid the Christians lots of money to be left alone.  That deal lasted 2 1/2 years.  In the 1400s four Christian kingdoms united under Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. They were a powerful royal couple known as the “Catholic Monarchs.” They were the ones who wanted the last kingdom to be part of their power (the Moors in Granada), so there was the Holy War of Granada which lasted 10 years.  In 1492, the last Muslim sultan gave the keys to the city to the Christians. 

The Muslims had two choices.  They could stay and convert, or they could leave.  The Jews were basically expelled.  However, the Spanish Inquisition finally expelled all the Muslims (whether or not they converted.) 

It was during this period that Christopher Columbus asked Queen Isabella for money for his project to explore the New World. (Isabelle was in charge of the Atlantic, while her husband Ferdinand had the Mediterranean.)  However, he had to wait until the surrender of Granada before Isabella would give him the funds.  That is why 1492 is the year of both the end of the Muslims in Granada and the beginnings of Columbus’ journey.

Our tour today was the most popular of the ship’s excursions – to Granada to see the Alhambra.   It was a 2 1/2 hour bus ride to get there.  Alhambra means "red place”, and it is an incredible Moorish royal city.  It sits on top of the hill of La Sabica and dominates the whole city of Granada.  Granada is a smaller city than Malaga with a population of 300,00 and is surrounded by the Sierra Nevada mountains, but close to the sea.  They say you can ski in the morning during the winter, and sunbathe on the beach in the afternoon!

Doug had been to Alhambra many, many years ago, and was so excited to show me and see it again.  He thought it was one of the most romantic places he had been.  However, after seeing it now, he was less impressed than he had been the first time.  I think the whole area has grown up so much, it lost part of its charm for him. 

The Alhambra was originally created for military purposes and was a fortress.  It was also a palace and a small city – all in one.  The Moorish architecture is reflected here.  However, after it became a Christian court under Isabella and Ferdinand, more Christian symbols and influence could be seen.  Emperor Charles V constructed a palace here bearing his name – but never lived there. [Today it is used as headquarters for two museums – the Museum of the Alhambra and the Museum of Fine Arts.]

We were able to see three parts of this complex – the Alcazaba (fortress area) from the outside only, the Palaces, and the gardens (called Generalife.)

We started in the gardens which were beautiful, but not like they were at the time of either the Muslims or the Christians.  They look more like English gardens – with beautifully manicured shrubs and colorful flowers.     Water features and lots of greenery were important to these Moors who left the hot, dusty desert of Africa to come to Spain. They wanted to build a paradise on earth.  This is evident in their gardens.  This picture shows the Court of the Long Pond.

The Alcazabe (fortress) and the tower, Torre de la Vela, can be seen in this picture.  The tower (is seen in the back with the bell) is the tallest tower of the walled enclosure and the bell is rung on special, festive occasions.  The city of Granada can be seen below. 

The Palace area is a bit confusing because it is really several palaces together.  Going through it so quickly, it was hard to really keep track which palace was which! 

The Alhambra contains three divisions usually found in a Muslim palace: the Mexaur (a reception hall devoted to the public and to the administration of justice), the Chamber of Comares (the official residence of the king), and the Chamber of the Lions or Harem (the intimate family apartments of the monarchs.)  This is just one example of how ornate most of the rooms were. 

They were all elaborate and beautiful.  Most of the Moorish rooms had three elements that were found in each.  There were ceramic tiles on the bottom third of the walls – to keep it cool in the summer heat.  The top parts of the walls were very elaborate with what looked like intricately designed wall carvings.  They used a technique for this which consisted of putting the plaster and marble combination into molds, hardened, and then glued to the walls.  The ceilings were ornate and usually made of different woods. 

After our tour of the part of the Alhambre we had time to see, we walked up a narrow street to the restaurant we were having lunch.  It was a buffet in the Alixares Hotel, and it was terrible.  It seemed they were unprepared for our arrival, and the food was not very good. 

Our pictures just can’t do justice to this royal city, so we bought a book with lots of wonderful pictures and more explanations of the complex itself. 

Our bus ride back and our evening back on the ship were uneventful, but we went to bed knowing we had seen something very special today – and also knowing we’d like to come back and see the actual city of Malaga. 

10-29 Cartagena, Spain

Today was a most relaxing day.  We had no tour planned.  We slept late and left the ship around noon to see this town.  We had a beautiful view of the harbor from our balcony. 

Dramatically encircled by mountains, Cartagena is a principal naval base of Spain.  On either side of the entrance to the harbor, there are the remains of old walls.  On top of either side of the mountain are the remains of a castle and a fortress.  The castle is called Concepcion Castle  and provides excellent views of the city and and harbor to the 18th century wall that surrounds the city. Tours took you to these sites, but we opted to just “chill out” in the town. 

Cartagena was originally settled in 223 BC and flourished under Roman, Muslim, and Arab rule.  It offers a vast cultural legacy.

We were docked within walking distance of the town, so we walked to the promenade street paralleling the sea called Paseo de Alfonso XII.  It was a beautiful, wide promenade.  After picking up a decent street map of this town, we started walking.  We first saw the native son Isaac Peral’s small, unassuming  submarine U-boat which was the first ever built close to the Sailor’s Memorial. 

We made our way to the main pedestrian street in town called Calle Mayor.  It too was a wide pedestrian way.  We found an outdoor cafe and did our Internet stuff while we could.  Even watched part of the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and his interview with President Obama.  Made us feel right at home!

After that we mainly wandered with no specific plan.  It was siesta time, so most of the shops were closed.  The elaborate City Hall was on the corner of the first square.  What I found interesting were the multi-colored buildings all with beautiful iron balconies along the streets.  We walked all the way to Plaza de Espana which is a big circular park with streets coming off of it and a big fountain in the middle of it.

We meandered back around through narrow streets until we came back near the place we started.  Amazingly, right in the middle of this town is the old Roman amphitheater built in 001 BC.  It is rather interesting how the city is built all around it.  Sitting on the seats inside, you can see the apartments with laundry hanging out to dry next to you!  From the top, we had great views of the water promenade, our ship, and the sea.

Back on the ship, we saw another spectacular sunset with some of the most vivid colors ever!  We enjoyed this little town, and also enjoyed an easy port day without a tour!

10-27 Monte Carlo, Monaco

The sovereign Principality of Monaco is located in the hills above the Mediterranean Sea in the midst of the resort area of the French Riviera.  With a population of only 30,000 people, this tiny state has an area of only about .73 square miles.  It is the second smallest principality –  Vatican City is smaller. As seen from the picture, the city goes from the mountains right to the sea.

From the 12th–18th century, Monaco’s history was a turbulent time – controlled either by France or Italy (whose border is only five miles to the east.)  In 1814 France recognized Prince Honore V and the throne of Monaco, and thus it gained its permanent independence.  In 1911, Prince Albert I passed Monaco’s first constitution. 

Most of the people are Roman Catholic with the official language being French – the majority of the residents are French citizens.    It is also a fiscal paradise since it has no tax on income or inheritance.  Monaco and Monte Carlo were thrust into the international spotlight when American film actress Grace Kelly married Prince Ranier in 1956. 

Monaco is also home to the Grand Prix circuit with a 3.3 km track that uses the same roads as traffic does.  It is a difficult track because of the narrow roads.

It is a very safe place with 10,000 security cameras, 1,500 police, and only 3 prison cells.  Three roads run parallel here – along the coast, the middle and the high road at the top of the mountain (these are called Lower, Middle, and Upper Corniche)

Our tour today was a visit to Nice and Eze.  Nice is only nine miles west of Monte Carlo.  We took the beautiful coastal road to Nice which is the 5th largest city in France with a population of 1/2 million people.  It is a young city with 40% of the people under the age of 40. 

It is a multi-cultured town.  A large number of people from N. Africa came over to find work.  Queen Victoria came often for the mild weather.  The Hotel Regina was built for her.  Since she always brought 500 people when she came to visit, it was great for the economy of Nice. 

By bus we passed many sights of the city, including the Negresco Hotel with its ornate Rococo facade and statue of Miles Davis who inaugurated the first jazz festival here.  We also saw the 2nd largest Russian church outside Russia with its green tile onion domes.  Very impressive!  Felt like we were back in Russia!  We also saw the Park Imperial, the former resident of the Tsar.  We also passed an interesting statue called the Square Head – which was just that – very strange – near the Modern Art Museum. 

When we got off the bus, we walked toward the flower market – which is much more than just flowers.   Our meeting spot after free time was the Palace of Justice, which is a very impressive building in the square with a nice fountain as well. Doug and I stopped and had a cappuccino and caught up on our e-mails, etc. at a delightful little cafe called Emilie’s which specialized in cookies. 

We then walked around the flower market on the Cours Saleya, the elegant promenade of Old Nice. Its many stalls of fresh fruits and veggies, as well as spices and flowers and sweets was very colorful.  It is lined on both sides by lots and lots of outdoor cafes.

We then went to the Promenade d’Anglaise which is an eight kilometers walkway around the bay from the port to the airport.  It was delightful with lots of walkers and bikers enjoying the sunny day.  I couldn’t resist going down to the water and putting my hand in the Mediterranean Sea.  It was warm, and I wish we had had more time to actually enjoy the beach area – pebbly as it was.  Before getting back on the bus, we made another stop at a little bakery to get a sweet pastry since we skipped the cookies at Emilie’s!

As we walked back to the bus, we saw the very new (2007) and modern tram lines which were put in to reduce traffic and emissions.  Very impressive as well. 

Driving back and forth from Nice was really picturesque as we went along the coast line.  It was easy to see why it is called Cote d’Azure with its beautiful blue waters.  We can also see why the French Riviera has such appeal with its little towns/villages along the coast.  We only were able to go from Monaco to Nice, but what we saw was spectacular – and we’d like to return to take some time to visit each of these little towns.  Villefranche was particularly beautiful from our viewpoint of looking down upon it from the middle road (corniche) which was 300 meters above.  Other pretty little towns we passed were Beaulieu, and Cap Ferrat.

We also saw the most expensive property in this area.  It is a villa that King Leopold had made with many terraces – one for each of his mistresses.  It was very beautiful – what we could see of it from the road – and very private.

While we really liked Nice and the surrounding area, our next stop was the best.  It was the village of Eze – perched high upon a sea cliff with small shops, stone houses, terrace restaurants and an exotic cactus garden with a stunning view.

There are two levels of this medieval area that is now a hotel called Chateau Eze.  We climbed the cobblestone path up to the higher level.  Along the way, there were many little cafes, some outdoors, some tucked away inside the stones.  We paid the extra 5 euros to go up again to the garden to see the ruins of the 14th century castle that was destroyed in the 18th century, the cactus garden, and mainly the view.  We decided we wanted to return to just eat at the different little cafes – each more charming than the next.

On the way back down, we stopped briefly at the church, called L’Eglise, that is there with its bell and clock tower.  It was very pretty on the inside, but we didn’t have much time to spend here.

Back on the bus again, we headed back to Monte Carlo.  Our guide told us all about the royal family and how Princess Grace was killed in an automobile accident – on the same road and place where she filmed the picnic scene with Cary Grant.

There was a lot of traffic coming back due to a train strike which meant more people in their cars on the roads.  But it gave us more time to learn about Prince Ranier and how he worked to beautify and build his town. 

While we didn’t get a chance to see this little town, we did enjoy seeing Nice and Eze.  We had to leave at 2 p.m., so we were not able to walk in the famous Grand Casino since it didn’t open until 2 p.m., but we did see it from a distance.  Its green dome and towers is very impressive.  Also from a distance we saw the Royal Palace.

Back on the ship, we were happily surprised to find a plate of chocolate covered strawberries awaiting us in our cabin.  The note explained that this was for the “wait” we had the night before at dinner.  We only waited about 20 minutes for the walk-in dining, but decided we’d do it again for the strawberries!

Sailing at 2 p.m. we were able to enjoy passing the Riviera with towns further west of Nice, like Cannes.  In the background were the snow covered Alps – a beautiful sight.  As it grew later, we saw one of the most stunning sunsets we’ve ever seen – and another “green flash” – this time on the French Riviera – doesn’t get much better than that!

10-28 Barcelona, Spain

Hola! And welcome to our first port in Spain . . . and my first time to Spain.  Doug had been to Spain many times, but never Barcelona, so it was a new experience for both of us.

Barcelona is a large city of almost 3 million people.  While it has an Old Town with many historical monuments, it is best known for its Modernism in architecture and art in general.  It’s a bustling, lively, cosmopolitan city full of energy and life! 

We took a ship’s tour today called Barcelona Highlights.  It was a half day trip, which was perfect to give us a feel for the city and then free time to explore more on our own.   It was a beautiful, sunny and clear day – perfect for discovering the joys of this city.

We left the harbor via Miramar Rd. to get to a high point in the city – Montjuic Park (our guide called it Monument Hill) to see a great view of the whole city and harbor. From there we could easily see the Water Tower (looks like a huge phallic symbol – in the back far right of the picture,) Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia Church (not in this picture) and the Gothic Cathedral in Old Town.  The city is very spread out with its adjoining communities. We did not see the castle, amusement park, gardens, and museums that were there.  A cable car links the harbor to the park. 

Back on the bus and heading back down into the city, we passed the pool used in the 1992 Olympics in Barcelona – it sits right on top of a hill with the same great view of the whole city beneath it.  We then passed the artist Miro’s museum where there is an extensive collection of his works of art.  Continuing on we saw the Olympic Stadium, now used for big events, and the St. George Olympic Palace.  There was an unusual white tower that was just a telephone tower.  Even the most mundane structures in this city are unique in their style.  We went past a place that looked like a castle, and inside were replicas of different kinds of Spanish houses.  As we passed the Cultural Center, we saw a statue of an elephant , upside down, standing on its trunk.  Close by was the National Palace built in 1929 which is now a museum. 

We then entered a wide avenue in an area used for major exhibitions and fairs in Barcelona.  Next was the Spanish Square with a major monument in the center of it.  Under construction next to that was a round stadium that had once been for bull fighting.  It was built in 1974 and will soon be open as a major shopping center!  Before entering the real city center, we passed by the oldest university in Barcelona.  Our guide later told us that the young people who are getting great educations here can’t find meaningful employment in Spain due to a severe fiscal downturn.  An amazing 20% of Spain is unemployed.  That is much higher than other countries in Europe.

Entering the city of Barcelona, we went around the Placa de Catalunya and into the best shopping area in the city with high class stores.  The best department store, El Corte, is located here.  It even has a terrace and restaurant on top of the building.

Next was the most elegant street in Barcelona – Passeig de Gracia – which is now a business area and no longer fine homes.  It is the most expensive part of Barcelona.

Antonio Gaudi was an amazing and avant garde Spanish artist and many of his works are  in Barcelona – and the people here love him.  He lived from 1852 – 1926.  Most of his buildings are like some kind of fantasy – and most unusual, especially his chimney tops.  We were fortunate to see several of his buildings – three on tour, and one on our own. 

The first one we saw was Casa Batllo built in 1904. The top almost looks like the back of a dragon, while the balconies look like masks on the front of each.  Today it is a museum and example of fantasy.

The second one is called Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera, which is a UNESCO site.  It also has unusual chimney tops where people were walking around and unusual balconies.

Probably his most famous, and certainly most visible, is the facade of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral (Holy Family Cathedral.) He became obsessed with it and worked on it almost exclusively the last 8 years of his life.  It was begun in 1882 and is still not finished - you can see the cranes around the towers - but it is the pride of Barcelona.  His design combines stone, iron and ceramics in irreverent fashion.  The rest of the cathedral is being completed by other artists.  The inside was recently completed and during the first part of November (just a couple of weeks away!), the Pope is coming to consecrate it.  Gaudi’s facade is a series of nativity scenes.  The back wall displays the passion of Christ depicting the Last Supper and His hanging on the cross (as well as other scenes.)  The main entrance, when completed, will represent His glorification and resurrection.  We could not go inside – there was at least an hour or more wait.  It had to be one of the most unusual building (and certainly cathedrals) we had ever seen. 

We were given about 20 minutes to walk around and take pictures from the different sides, buy postcards, etc.  We took our pics and then couldn’t resist the Starbucks for a quick pick-me-up!  There were tons of young American students outside drinking their coffees or whatever.  Not to mention – a free bathroom!

We next passed through the expansion area where the writer Cinto lived.  And we saw the five year old water tower – which is 145 meters high (and looks like a phallic symbol – can’t miss it!)

The last part of our tour was in the Old Town – or the Gothic center.  We began by seeing the Roman Wall Square and went inside a building to see part of the actual old Roman wall (complete with holes in the stones.) 

The highlight was going inside the 13th century Gothic Cathedral called Santa Eulalia. Not only was it splendid and elaborate on the outside, the inside was truly overwhelming in its beauty.   We walked around inside seeing the high vaulted ceiling, the organ pipes, the stained glass windows, the lower area under the alter where a saint is supposedly buried.  Then our guide took us inside the choir area – very private – and told us all about the church.  The choir area was so elaborate itself, with the front row of seats made 100 years before the back ones – the difference being how much more elaborate the back ones are.  While we have seen a lot of cathedrals, churches, and mosques on this trip, this one was one of our most favorite. 

Back on the bus, we headed toward the harbor area from which we had started.  There is a very modern statue (looks like it has red dots all over it!) outside the Old Harbor area.  This is the night life area in this part of town – lots of restaurants, bars, etc. 

We were the only ones on our bus who opted to get off the bus early to walk around Barcelona on our own.  We headed toward the main street in the city – and a pedestrian way in the middle of it – Las Ramblas.   It has lots of restaurants, outdoor cafes, shops, etc. all along it.  Doug found the watch he had been looking for in one of the little shops.  There were lots of street performers as well – as well as people dressed up in all kinds of costumes.  The best was a guy dressed like a black dragon who rose up (when you put some $ in his bucket!) and acted like he was going to eat the person paying!  Very fun to watch all these creative people and their get ups. 

We had another expensive tapas lunch in an open air cafe.  We paid for the ambience of being right on the pedestrian way of this busy and popular street.  It certainly was the place to people watch.  We had Sangria – lots of it – and some tapas and then Doug had pizza and I had paella.  It was all pretty good – especially the Sangria. 

We continued walking up Las Ramblas, we passed the Gran Teatre De Liceu and then took a side street to see Gaudi’s Palau Guell – which is really a park.  Restoration was being done on it, so we could only see the front entrance and part of the top.  We really want to come back and see the inside park on this one after seeing pictures of what is inside!  We ended up at the market area called the Boqueria.  It had everything from fruits and veggies to meats and fish.  It was fairly large, so we just browsed quickly.

We walked back down Las Ramblas to the Monument Colon which is a huge statue of Christopher Columbus.  It is where we met the shuttle bus to go back to the ship. 

In the evening we met the two new couples we had met earlier who are from Palm Beach Gardens, FL. (Patricia and Richard, Roz and Harvey.)  We had a fun time with them – drinks in the Ocean Bar and then dinner.

Doug and I went to the ship’s 10 p.m. entertainment – David Deeble – a comedy juggler.  He was a better comedian than juggler!  It was pleasant and a nice way to end the day.

We LOVED Barcelona and really hope we can return.  There is so much we want to see that there just wasn’t time for – the Picasso and Miro museums, and all of Gaudi’s houses – just to name a few!