Cadiz, Spain

Monday, May 5

Bright sunshine and a clear blue sky greeted us this morning and as Cadiz is a port that enables cruise ships to berth right beside the main esplanade near the town square, we had some great views before we even left the ship.

View from ship over Plaza de Espana

We made our way to the Tourist Info booth where we found out there were 4 themed walks of approx 1 hour each that would take us right around the city and past all the major points of interest. (If only all cities did this!). There is a painted line on the paving to follow for each walk so after studying our map, we decided to combine the Purple & Green Walks first. These go past the city square, main cathedral through the Old Town and then the fresh produce market - all the things we love. At times the lines disappeared but, with the aid of the map - albeit a very simple map - we were able to find all the sites we wanted to see. Sadly, the market was only partly open today but the fruit and vegetables were beautifully displayed and looked so tempting. Strawberries are at their peak here and are only Euro 1.50 a kilo. They are huge but are sweet and juicy not hard and white inside like many of the larger ones at home. How nice if Coles & Woolworths followed suit with their pricing!

Town Hall in Plaza de San Juan de Dios

Al at Arco de Los Blanco (with Green Walk line)

The last four days have been fairly quiet in the mornings with many Spaniards taking a 4 day weekend and obviously enjoying a sleep-in but today everyone was out and about. It is amazing how the atmosphere of a place really changes when everyone is around and the sun is shining. We found the gardens around Cadiz to be particularly nice and they provided some welcome relief after walking in the hot sun. We walked for miles up and down little alleyways, out into larger squares, around parks and gardens, in and out of buildings and, of course, shops too. Cadiz really is an interesting city and it's buildings are so varied although there is a strong Moroccan influence.

The different spires and domes of the Cathedral

Al in one of the beautiful gardens around Cadiz

Clothing in Spain is very reasonably priced (we suspect due to the economic situation here) so we had to stop to try things on and both of us got some great bargains. We returned to the ship to leave our shopping then went out again to do a walk along the esplanade beside the sea and the water was those glorious shades of turquoise blue and green so it was a particularly enjoyable walk. Both of us have loved our time in Spain and Cadiz certainly hasn't disappointed.

Noelle at the Cathedral

 

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Gibraltar

Sunday May 4

Sailed into Gilbraltar on a sunny Sunday morning, and we can see the rock from our cabin - it's actually hard to miss the rock as it rises steeply above the town and it is the main attraction here! We set out to explore the town and soon discovered that despite the sun there was a chilly wind blowing, so depending where you were it was either warm or cold. Much to Spain's displeasure this is a British territory, but they have their own currency (the Gilbraltar pound) which is parity with Sterling so the shops take either as well as Euros. Compared to the places we've visited in the last 5 weeks it now feels like we're in England with pubs, fish and chips and red letter boxes everywhere, but being a Sunday most of the shops are closed.

Casemates Square and the Rock.

Of course there have been many fights with the Spanish over the years, and a clever Englishman invented this cannon to fire down on them from the heights in 1782.

The fish & chippery behind was Roy's Cod Plaice which tickled Noelle !

As we wanted to get the cable car to the top of the rock we returned to the ship for some warmer clothes before setting off again. We used the local bus to take us to the cable car station and the view on the way up was fabulous, but it was exceeded by the views from the top in all directions. North Africa was clearly visible, along with the Straights of Gilbraltar and it wasn't as cold at the top as expected.

North Africa on the left and Spain on the right separated by the Straights.

At the top of the Rock.

We were also greeted by a horde of Barbary apes which live on the rock, and we were very amused at their friendliness and antics - they know how to perform for the tourists!

Not all tourists wanted to get too close though!

 

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Almeria, Spain

Saturday, May 3

Another day quite different to what we had expected. We had decided not to do a ship's excursion to Granada to see The Alhambra as we thought the time allowed was not sufficient to do it justice so we would spend our time exploring Almeria instead. This turned out to be a really good decision because just before we sailed last night we checked our emails and found our Canadian friends, who had left the ship in Athens, were now in Spain and could meet us in Almeria today. We were thrilled to be able to see them again and do another "tour" with them.

At La Alcazaba with Bruce & Margaret-Anne

We left the ship around 9.45 am and found Bruce & Margaret-Anne waiting at the port gate. They are staying about an hour and a half's drive away so had caught the local bus in to town. We all wanted to see La Alcazaba - an ancient fort that allows fantastic views over Almeria. With Bruce & Al leading the way, we headed off. The fort, sitting high above Almeria, was visible from almost everywhere in town and was easy to reach? It is a huge complex and has seen many different rulers in its 1000 year existence - Moors, Christians, Medieval Kings, etc. and all have left their marks. We were not sure what the occasion was but there were a number of little girls decked out in beautiful white dresses at the fort but we did not see any First Communion services or the like being held there or around the town so the reason for their outfits remains a mystery. We spent a couple of hours at the fort and found it really interesting.

La Alcazaba

We then headed back into town where we enjoyed another great tapas lunch, again in glorious sunshine. People-watching is always interesting and even more so in foreign places. Today was part of the 4-day long weekend many Spaniards are enjoying and we noted how quiet everything was until lunchtime when they all started emerging from their homes. We found the main square, Plaza de la Constitucion, where a local market was in full swing. We joined the locals wandering around enjoying the sunshine and browsing. There were fabulous antiques for sale along with crafts by local artisans and some of the best food imaginable. The children were playing and we saw a number of tiny Flamenco dancers - the Spanish appear to love dressing up. It almost seemed out of place but a really good jazz band was playing well-known Louis Armstrong numbers and people were dancing and really enjoying themselves. We have found Spain to be a really happy place despite the economic situation here.

The market at Plaza de la Constitucion

Some tiny Flamenco Dancers

From the market, we made our way through the Old Town area and into the commercial area. Most shops and businesses were closed in the smaller streets but in the commercial area, major department stores were open and doing a roaring trade with little opposition. We passed a couple of interesting-looking churches but none were open for inside viewing.

Outside the main Cathedral

We found a lovely spot for coffee and sat down to rest our weary feet and continue the people watching. Bruce & Al went off to find the air raid shelters marked on the map but were disappointed to find all tickets for today's tours had sold out. These shelters date back to the Spanish Civil War in the 1930's. We later walked past the entrance area and were amazed to see a map showing just what a labyrinth they are and how far they extend - another reason to return to this interesting city.

Almeria

After a pleasant stroll back to the port area and taking in as much of Almeria's charms as possible, we yet again farewelled Bruce & Margaret-Anne and made our way back on board where we sat in the sun by the ship's pool until we sailed out at 6.00 pm. Spain is now very high on our list of countries to visit again.

Back on board and ready to sail out

 

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Alicante Spain

Friday May 2

Alicante is on the central east coast of Spain and is located along the Costa Blanca. As we came in to dock this morning we could see the castle situated high on the hill above the town and were eager to explore it. The weather was superb and the walk to the elevator was along a beautiful esplanade beside the sea and a lovely sandy beach. With yesterday being a public holiday a lot of people had turned it into a 4 day weekend and had hit the beach, just like Aussies would do!

Noelle at the Port with the Castle high in the background

Al with the beach Playa del Postiguet behind him

The Castle of Santa Barbara dates back to the 9th century when the city was under Muslim control, but excavations have revealed existence of a Roman fort dating back to the 1st century due to its commanding position. We had a lot of fun exploring the different stairways and towers, and some of the bigger rooms had exhibits found by archeological teams of the different periods over the existence of the fort and town. The views were stunning and it was a perfect day to get an overview of Alicante and the coast.

Views from the Castle

 

After all this exercise and culture it was time for some refreshments before tackling the old quarter of the city, so we chose a taverna in the square opposite the town hall. What a great choice, as we were served a refreshing salad, the best fried calamari, home cooked paella served with flair at the table, and an almond torte "drowned" in schnapps - all washed down with a carafe of sangria. A perfect meal for such a sunny day but we were glad neither of us had to drive home!

Savouring every mouthful!

It was hard to get up from the table after such a delicious and memorable meal but there was a lot more to see of this town, and fortunately the town hall was just across the square. Inside it contained some great paintings but the piece de resistance was a sculpture by Salvador Dali which, by his standards, was quite tame but brilliant none the less. The lighting made it even more effective than the sculpture by itself.

Dali's statue in the Town Hall

We love wandering the old quarters of these towns as we pick up the feel of a place while admiring the buildings, people watching, looking in shops, exploring little alleyways and walking off big lunches! As we made our way back towards the ship we strolled along the promenade beside the marina under the shade of palm trees which lined the patterned marble floor tiles. Alicante really appealed to us and we definitely plan to come back and spend more time here.

 

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Barcelona, Spain

Thursday, May 1

We awoke to glorious sunshine - the sort of Mediterranean weather we had expected. The temperature was only forecast for 17 Celsius but with full sun, it always seems warmer.

Once the ship was cleared for passengers to disembark, we were off. We walked the 2 kms out of the port area because queues for shuttle buses were quite long as there were three cruise ships in port. We made our way to the Paralel-lel Metro station and enlisted the help of an English speaking girl to master the ticket machine and ascertain which platform we needed to catch our train from. It was reasonably straight-forward and within an hour of leaving the ship, we were outside Sagrada Familia. It seemed to be covered in even more scaffolding than when we saw it a few years ago and we smiled when we read it is due for completion in 2026 - maybe!! We thought getting there early would ensure we could get in but no, we should have (& maddeningly, could have) booked on-line. At that early hour they were selling tickets for the 3.00 pm tour onwards and we felt that was going to be cutting it too fine to do the tour and get back to the ship in time. Oh well, we will just have to return to Barcelona again. We both agreed on a return trip so with that thought in mind, we set off, not too disappointedly, on a walking tour of Barcelona with a map that was falling apart quickly despite little use. We found a lovely little cafe that had wifi, so enjoyed an espresso & croissant while catching up on news from home, etc.

Al outside Sagrada Familia

Sagrada Familia still under construction (construction began in 1883!)

On checking our now-segmented map, we found we had set off from the rear of Sagrada Familia and therefore had headed in the opposite direction to that intended. It was not a problem because the weather was so lovely and Barcelona is such an interesting city that we enjoyed every minute of it. Once "re-aligned" we made our way to another Gaudi site, Casa Mila. We were definitely not meant to see Gaudi's work today as this site was covered in scaffolding and a huge Versace billboard!

Casa Mila behind a Versace billboard

Casa Batllo (one of the few "uncovered" Gaudi sites)

We decided to make our way to the main square in Barcelona, Placa de Catalunya, because that was only a street away from where we stayed last time, so we knew our way around there (at least Al did) as our map was now not much more than a jigsaw. We spent some time walking up and down little back streets reminiscing and just enjoying the atmosphere. Today is a public holiday (Labour Day) so many shops and businesses were closed but there were lots more people out and about. We took photos around the area then came upon a nice looking restaurant that specialized in paella so, wanting to eat something Spanish, we decided to go in. We had the most fantastic paella that was loaded with prawns, mussels, chicken and saffron rice - just delicious! We accompanied it with a Sangria, also loaded with pieces of fruit. Anyone would think we hadn't eaten for days but it really was a memorable meal.

Noelle at Placa de Catalunya

Well sated, we continued on our walk and took little alleyways off La Ramblas as well as wending our way back on to La Ramblas. The crowds were definitely thickening but really added to the happy, family atmosphere. In many little squares or garden areas, elderly Spaniards were sitting on benches enjoying the sunshine (& the ubiquitous cigarette) while toddlers and young children squealed with delight as they chased balls, balloons or each other. People sipped glasses of wine, ate what looked like mountains of seafood, etc. or just sat and enjoyed each other's company. You couldn't help but feel happy in Barcelona today.

Al at the Port area (note the clothed sunbathers behind!)

Later in the afternoon some shops opened and we did a little shopping before returning to the ship. We sailed out of Barcelona's port in broad daylight (6.15 pm) while families on shore waved goodbye. We were then treated to a glorious sunset - truly a great end to a great day!

Sunset from our cabin window

 

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Day at Sea between Monaco & Barcelona

Wednesday, April 30

Another relaxing day at sea. It's interesting how our attitudes have changed. When we took our first Mediterranean cruise we were disappointed that there were 5 or 6 days at sea out of a total of 24 days. We wanted to be at exciting destinations. Now we look forward to the days at sea to catch up on rest, attend to laundry, spend time in the library studying up on the forthcoming ports, etc. along with leisurely breakfasts and lunches. Tonight, like most sea days, is a Formal Dinner so this requires getting all dressed up if we want to dine in the main Dining Room. We both enjoy this and it is a great opportunity to meet other guests, some who have been on as long as us and who we have never set eyes on before!

Holland America have their own "On Location Guide" who gives talks on sea days about the next few ports and we always go along to these as he has vital info on the actual port facilities, local transport systems, tips re good local eateries and, of course, the sights. Barcelona & Alicante were the topics this morning and Almeria & Gibraltar this afternoon so we are now up to speed for our next four ports of call. Tomorrow is Labour Day in Barcelona so we are not certain just what will be open but the architecture of Gaudi will still be there and that is largely what we want to explore. Noelle also wants to enjoy a tapas there because last time in Barcelona she had food poisoning and all the tapas morsels were very unappealing to her.

Well, we are off to dinner (as if we hadn't eaten enough already) then on to the Show which is a Spanish artist performing mime, magic and comedy - so who knows!

 

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Monaco

Tuesday April 29

We arrived in Monaco on a sunny day, and with the last 2 days being cold and wet we were glad to see the sun again. The view from the ship while having breakfast is hard to beat here, and it's always good to return somewhere you've been before so you can get straight into the sight seeing.

Monaco hosts the Formulae 1 Grand Prix in May of each year so preparations were in full swing to have it ready in time, with grandstands erected, Armco installed around the track, white lines being covered up, big screens and associated telecommunications set up, the pits established and pedestrian walkways built over the track in many spots. All of this takes place while the roads are still used which must drive the locals mad, as well as making it an even longer walk to get where you want to go.

Pit lane

The hairpin bend

As this was our third visit to Monaco we decided to catch a local bus to a medieval town called Eze which is about half way between Monaco and Nice. The only drawback was that the buses only run every 2 hours so it meant we would have limited time there to ensure we got back in plenty of time before the ship sailed! It was only a 20 minute bus ride but the views over the Mediterranean were spectacular as we climbed up the hill to Eze. This fortress town was built so people could escape from marauding pirates and we could see why it would have been a safe haven for them.

The fort was one of those places where you just kept following pathways and steps as you went higher and higher towards the top. Every twist and turn offered either outstanding views or the mystery of another path to follow to see what was around the corner. Of course most of the nooks and crannys now contain shops & restaurants but following are some photos to give you the idea:

After an enjoyable couple of hours we returned to Monaco for afternoon tea at the little French tea house/patisserie we found when we were here in 2011. We couldn't go past their raspberry macaroon treat, with fresh cream and raspberries in between the macaroon - absolutely delicious!

What a way to finish another fabulous day in spectacular Monaco.

 

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