Barcelona and the journey home

I'm writing from home. We made it here after a seemingly endless journey back across the Atlantic. But I'm getting ahead of myself. Before we boarded the plane there was Barcelona.

We docked in Barcelona early on Monday morning. The ship has a quick turnaround, since it pulls out of port that same day with a new batch of passengers. So we had an early departure from what had been our home for the past several days. 

The three of us had booked a tour of Barcelona through Celebrity, the cruise company we sailed with. It took us through Barcelona and ended up leaving us in a central square from which we could get a taxi. Barcelona is a beautiful city with stately boulevards, interesting architecture, and really nice views.

View from Montjuic Parc. The Sagrada Familia is in the middle of the picture.

Our tour took us to the Barcelona Cathedral, the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia. We spent some time there and then walked back to where our bus would meet us at Plaza Catlunya. Unfortunately, we had two hours yet to spend before we could get into where we were staying that night; two hours for three people with six pieces of luggage. Fortunately, we found a restaurant/cafe with outdoor seating and plunked ourselves down for about 90 minutes. We ate very slowly and ordered desserts spaced out over a period of time. It worked. We finished and caught a cab to the place were were staying, which was a very nice apartment that the three of us shared.

After settling in and some short naps, we wandered out in our neighborhood to explore. We walked down a street to the Arc de Triomf, Barcelona's response to the bigger one in Paris, I guess. It was made of brick though and was an interesting stop along the way rather than a destination. 

Barcelona's Arc de Triumf

After a glass of Sangria we strolled back to our apartment and got ready for dinner. Through one of the former students at the school where I work, we got a recommendation for a tapas restaurant that ended up being walking distance from our apartment. And it turned out to be delicious. We enjoyed every dish that we ordered. (Tapas restaurants serve small plates of food that are meant to be shared.) I think my favorite dish was the fried camembert cheese with raspberry sauce. Yum.

The next morning was another early rise to get to the airport. Marilyn's flight departed about an hour before ours so it was easy to share a cab. Allen and I flew Air Canada which turned out to be a really nice airline. I would definitely fly them again. The only downside was that we had a six-hour layover in the Toronto airport. Because of customs issues, we couldn't go out into the city to explore so we spent the whole six hours in the airport. I need not say more, do I? (What else is there to say about six hours in an airport except how many restaurants can one eat in?)  We got back to our apartment just after midnight of a very long day.

Now we are settling back into life here in San Francisco. The bags are all unpacked but there is the laundry to do yet. But the cats are extremely happy to see us. All in all, it was a wonderful trip, varied and lots of fun. And stay tuned--Allen and I have already booked another cruise through the Panama Canal. But that's not until 2017 so you (and we) will just have to wait.

Sunset from the last day on the ship.

pictures fro Alicante

From Castle Santa Barbara

Alicante and the Mediterranean in the background

Castle Santa Barbara sits on top of that big hill

Cadiz, Granada, Alicante

It's been a busy few days which is why I haven't posted lately. Sorry about that. But we've had three port days in a row. So here's a review of our time in those ports.

Our first port after Lisbon was Cadiz. Cadiz is the gateway to Seville, but we didn't go to Seville...we stayed in Cadiz and wandered around the narrow streets that make up the old part of that city. We found the central market which was impressive with the amount of fish and seafood that was for sale. We didn't have a shore excursion so the wandering was on our own. It's a lovely seaside town.

Our next stop was Málaga but Allen and I didn't stay there. We took an excursion up to Granada which is about two hours away inland. In Granada is the Alhambra, a beautiful Moorish palace built centuries ago when Spain was an Islamic country. After the long bus ride up to Granada, we met with our guide who toured us through the palace and the grounds. It's simply stunning. The fountains and the carvings were magnificent. We walked through the main palace and then strolled through the gardens to the summer palace. Each was breathtaking. It was King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella who expelled the Moors from Spain and they and their son Charles V left their marks on the grounds. Unfortunately, over the centuries the palaces fell into disrepair but some of them were restored in the 20th century. 

Today we were in Alicante, edging ever closer to Barcelona. Alicante is another seaside town (obviously, if a cruise ship goes there, it's going to be seaside). We didn't have an excursion lined up but Allen and I went off on our own again and explored. There is a castle, Castle Santa Barbara, which overlooks the town. It's still there and after an elevator ride, you can visit what's left of it way up on the cliffs over Alicante. The sea was gorgeous from that vantage point and all around us were people enjoying Mother's Day on the beach or with their families. Unfortunately, the pictures from Alicante are still on my phone and haven't made it over to my iPad yet to share with you.

As I write we're headed for Barcelona, our final stop where we disembark. It's been a marvelous trip and I'll post again either from Barcelona if I have time or from home when we return. This is our 2nd time in Barcelona so I'm looking forward to visiting that marvelous city once again.

PS

Oh, I forgot to respond to the comment that was posted--yes we did go to the Abba singalong. It was more of a lyrics contest with dancing following but how could we miss an event like that???

Lisbon

Well, after 2 relaxing sea days we reached the port of Lisbon in Portugal. This was our second visit to Lisbon, but it's always a pleasure to visit this city. Of course in a day, we can't really cover the whole city but we got a very nice sense of the town from our short time. It reminds us a lot of San Francisco; if SF were in Europe, it would be Lisbon. The hills and the atmosphere all lend a very SF feel to Lisbon.

We did not have a shore excursion in Lisbon but were on our own. So the three of us got the tickets for the shuttle bus to the city center and wandered around there for awhile. We took one of the outdoor elevators that allow you to go to one of the upper neighborhoods where we stopped at a cafe for a respite. We then had a failed attempt at riding the 28 tram which winds its way through the streets of the city. It failed because we waited and waited and waited for a tram and when one finally came it was packed full and only a few people at our stop were able to get on. It didn't seem like our idea of a fun time to be packed like sardines in a vehicle that we couldn't really see out of because we were standing. So we walked back to the city center where Marilyn caught the bus back to the ship while Allen and I spent a little more time wandering the streets. We had lunch where I ate octopus for the first time, which was actually very good. It was a new taste sensation for me.

The elevator we rode

For our depature from Lisbon, the three of us were invited to a special sail-away reception at the very front of the ship. It was fun to have that viewpoint as we sailed down the Targus River into the Atlantic Ocean. One of the fun things about Lisbon is that it has a bridge almost identical to the Golden Gate Bridge, built by the same person who did the GG Bridge. The only difference is that is has two levels, the lower level for trains. We sailed under the bridge, (whose name escapes me at the moment) and had some wonderful views of it.

Last evening was fairly quiet, dinner and some quiet time with a drink and some photo taking by an onboard photographer. As I write we're docking in Cadiz, our first port in Spain. We'll see what adventures await us here.

Pictures from Sao Miguel Island, the Azores

The green lake and the blue lake next to Sete Cidadas

Sao Sebastian crater lake

Azores

We've made it across the Atlantic...at least as far as the Azores. We're sailing for two days between Ponta Delgada on Sao Miguel Island in the Azores and Lisbon, Portugal, which is our next port. After seven days at sea, it was good to be on land again for a while. 

We prepared ourselves for this port of call by going to a lecture on the Azores by the speaker on board, Professor Lisa Didier. She is the one who has done the other lectures and the information she gave us about the Azores was helpful. The Azores, for those of you who don't know, are part of Portugal. The nine islands were discovered by the Portuguese in the 1500s who then claimed them. Except for a 60 year rule by Spain they have always been in Portuguese control. 

In Ponta Delgada, the largest city in the Azores, the three of us had arranged a shore excursion. So we met our bus after breakfast and climbed into the hills above Ponta Delgada. The islands are volcanic, having been formed over the centuries by eruptions, much like the Hawaiian Islands and the other Pacific islands. The islands are small for the most part but very hilly. The volcanoes, most of them dormant, frequently have deep crater lakes, which we saw two of. The first one was beside Sete Cidades, or Seven Cities. As our guide explained more than once, no one knows why this one small village is called Seven Cities, but there you have it. This particular lake is divided into two parts. On one side the water looks mostly green and on the other side it looks mostly blue. 

We drove around in our bus stopping at several locations with lakes or views of the lakes from above. The tour ended with a wine and cheese tasting event. The Azores produce some very nice cheeses and wines and we got to sample some of them.  (Well, and buy some too.) The afternoon was spent relaxing and just hanging out. Allen went into Ponta Delgada to explore some more while Marilyn and I stayed on the ship. We left port at dinner time.

Last night the entertainer was a comedy magician who was very good. He did some usual tricks and some new ones I hadn't seen before but with a patter that was very fun. Tonight there is a duo of brothers from Scotland who play the accordian and fiddle. Following that there is an Abba sing along, which we might lend our voices to.

Last night, after I had gone to bed, the ship started rocking terribly, but in short bursts. We don't know what caused it but all three of us thought that it felt like an earthquake even though we were miles out to sea. We haven't heard what was going on but it felt very strange. We all survived though.

Now we have two sea days again and then begin the ports of call. I suspect these won't be really active days--just sitting around reading and enjoying some time to relax. 

Again, thanks for reading.

Moon set

Early Sunday morning

Ficus Tree

ONe of the interesting features of the ship is a tree that is suspended in a giant pot above the grand foyer.

It's been a little while since I've posted so I thought I'd put up another issue even though not a lot has really happened since the last post.

We recently crossed the mid point of the Atlantic Ocean. So we're about halfway to the Azores. For several days, all we've seen is ocean outside the ship. We have been in the vicinity of a few other ships along the way but they're really rare out here.  It's just us for miles. (Of course, that's nautical miles.)

The past few days have been rainy and cloudy; not the best for sitting on the veranda. But today the weather has improved--even though it's still somewhat cloudy, the sun has come out and the temperature is warm enough to sit outside, which I'm doing as I write. Of course, the rain isn't a big inconvenvience because you can stay inside the ship and do everything you want. It's just nice to be able to get some fresh air. Our captain, who does an announcement over the PA system at 10:00 am every day, has told us that we should have good weather now and in the Azores.

We haven't been spending too much time at the nightly performances so far. We went to the first night which was an introduction to the cruise and then the second night, which was the shipboard performing group of dancers and singers doing Broadway numbers. That was really good and they do an excellent job. Since then the performers haven't really attracted us so we've had evenings free. Which is fine...we eat a leisurely meal, get a drink or two either before or after dinner (um, or I suppose it could be both) and just relax, which afterall what a vacation is all about, at least for us.

We have spent a good amount of time exploring the ship. There are several pools, both indoor and outdoor. A spa. A library. A number of restaurants and bars. A casino (which doesn't do much to attract me, but it seems requisite on a ship). Of course, there are shops with all sorts of goods including expensive watches and handbags, plush toys, keychains with ships on them, and sundry useful items such as medicines (should you be feeling unwell or suffering from mal de mer) and other helpful things such as razors. We've spent some time finding and to some extent using all of these places.

We have been going to a lecture series by a history professor who has been really interesting. First she talked about the history of Spain and then Portugal, both topics which fit into our cruise itinerary.  Her third presentation though was about American madams and brothels of the 19th century. It was really interesting and entertaining even though it had nothing to do with our destinations. Well worth the time though. She has a few more lectures coming up which I'm looking forward to hearing.

Okay, I'll write again in a couple of days. Thanks for reading.

Some pictures so far

That had to be the quickest stay in a place. We arrived in Ft Lauderdale at about 8 pm on Sunday and by Monday shortly after lunch we were on board the ship. I can't really say that I got a taste for Ft Lauderdale. It looks like a nice city with good beaches and all, but I can't really call myself an expert on it.

Backing up a little, our flights across the country were fine. We flew from San Francisco to Houston and then on to Ft Lauderdale.  Everything went well--no delays and our luggage arrived without any problem. I was really worried about the luggage not making it. How do they deliver your luggage to you if it doesn't arrive and if you're in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean after? But my worries were not worth paying attention to.

Boarding was a breeze. No lines and the people who checked us in were extremely friendly. A big contrast to the previous check-ins we've done for cruises. The porters took our luggage and we waltzed through the check-in process. The next thing we knew we were on the ship. Easy!

It's now been about 24 hours since we've been aboard the Equinox. We've spent our time exploring, eating, and being entertained. It's a fair sized ship--2,850 passengers and about half as many crew. Celebrity is very attentive to its guests and that's a nice thing. Our room steward is a very pleasant man from the Philippines named William. He's taking care of us very well.

The three of us have two staterooms side by side, both with verandas. We're at the aft of the ship so we look out from our veranda onto the ocean with the ship's wake dividing the view. As I type this I'm sitting with the door to the outside open and I'm listening to the sound of the Atlantic and the ship sluicing through it.

This morning Allen and I did a tour of the ship's galley. Unfortunately, the tour group we were in was too big and I couldn't hear our guide who was one of the sous chefs on the ship. But it was interesting to see the big space where our food is prepared and our dishes are cleaned. It's a big operation as you can imagine.

They're doing something different on this cruise. Whether you realize it or not, you have to keep changing the time as you head across the ocean--about an hour a day. Every other cruise or crossing I've been on has done this in the middle of the night, just like the time change during the spring or fall. But on this trip, they're changing the time in the middle of the afternoon. We lose an hour at 2:00 pm. I actually like it better because it means you're not constantly losing an hour of sleep--except during naptime of course.

Okay, it's time for bed so I'm going to sign off. Thanks for reading.

Our ship and our route

It's almost time

I've finished my last task at work and I've got my boarding pass. Clothes, though not packed yet, are sorted and just ready to be put in suitcases. I'm on vacation! Yay! And what are we doing on  this vacation? We're taking another cruise. This time it's a sail across the mid-Atlantic stopping in the Azores, Portugal (Lisbon) and Spain (Cadiz, Málaga, Alicante) ending in Barcelona.

We'll be aboard the Equinox which is one of the Celebrity cruise line, the same line (different ship) that we sailed to Alaska last year. The Equinox carries 2,850 passengers and 1,250 crew. You can follow our voyage on line on www.seascanner.com. Just click on the "ships" link and then select "Celebrity Cruises." Then click on the "Equinox" link. That will take you to a page where you can see pictures and information about the ship, deck plans, and ship location. On the deck plans, we'll be on the Sunrise Deck or deck number 7. Scroll down to the bottom of the deck and find stateroom 7362 and that will be our home for the next couple of weeks. You can follow our progress on the ship location link and see where we are.

We're spending seven days crossing the Atlantic and then have several port stops. We have shore excursions lined up in Ponta Delgada, the Azores, in Malaga to the Alhambra in Granada, and around Barcelona. At the other ports we're on our own. But more on those when we get to them. 

There are three of us going--Allen of course, our friend Marilyn, and me. Fortunately, we have adjoining staterooms so we have some room to spread out. Plus each room has a veranda. So, we can enjoy our time outdoors as we sail; as long as the weather cooperates.

So off we go. Feel free to follow along on this blog. Make comments and enjoy vicariously.  If you have any questions, I'll do my best to answer them.

Ahoy!