Dampener

The rain in significant quantities had started last night and continued in Barcelona. It didn't matter a heck of a lot and was a good preparation for our return to the UK where Spring is not yet established.


The Hotel Arts was very luxurious and welcoming. The taxi driver tried to rip us off. I had our greeter straighten him out and unsurprisingly he didn't get a tip. He must have thought I had just got off the boat (lol).



Our plans for some final meandering in Catalonia were undermined by the weather but high speed internet was more than compensation.

We had a lunch of surprisingly large tapas and were brave enough to sit outdoors.

Eventually it was time to go to the airport and things became less than relaxing. The check-in system was down and had to be transferred to the Iberia system. It was not very well organised although we did eventually leave on time. The problem before that was that the Iberia (One World) lounge is in M2 and a considerable walk from the gate area (for our flight) M5. We got suckered into passing through passport control and had to argue our way back.

I am very happy to be back in the UK and grateful for a great holiday. With that this blog ends. Visit me at http://thejohnoramOnBooks.blogspot.com and look out for future blogs.

A View From The Bridge

A potentially boring last day at sea was lightened considerably when we hooked up with our new friend Jim and his on board friend Pat from Texas to make a four for bridge. We played two rubbers of a game I have not played in probably twenty years. We played competently but lost and it didn't matter. It was a great diversion.

It got better in the evening when we joined Jim and Russell in the lounge as has become routine and later headed for the Italian restaurant where we all made the most of a farewell dinner.

Notes From Malaga

At Malaga we were greeted by a simple but new and attractive cruise terminal. I imagine the adjacent infrastructure is also to be upgraded but for now it is a rough walk away from the quay especially with a roller laden with two laptops.

We got our internet business done and very much enjoyed the aromatic centre of Malaga which is very walkable. The temperature was perfect. We were under no pressure to see everything as we will be back on June 2nd.

Lunch was excellent if rather expensive at €11.80 for a cheese plate and we recommend d’Gustar in Plaza de las Flores. Actually we would recommend any of the pavement places for ambience – you’ll probably want to stay for ever.

Even the traveller (the non-tourist) requires some concessions and my unease with Spain, a beautiful country with cultured people, is the hours they keep. The insane eating hours for dinner in particular are a complete mismatch for my lifestyle and similarly it is not at all convenient when shops close at 1300-1330 to return at perhaps 1700.

Still, I’m not likely to go and live there but I’ll certainly be back in June and many other times.

The Sea, The Sea

26 March 2009. We scarred the sea and behind us it healed itself. In places it shone in others it sparkled and from mile to mile it changed its shape. A living thing which in a single unforgiving moment can take life. Ceaslessly fascinating, infinitely relaxing, a friend and an enemy. I like being at sea but doubt that I would want to do it for 91-106 days, the typical length of a round the world cruise. Nevertheless we have some long itineraries planned for when I retire.

A Sketch From The Eastern Atlantic

We passed the uninhabited Madeira islands on our starboard and cautiously approached Funchal eventually to reverse into our parking space. The southern shores of Madeira looked from a distance like an alpine valley transplanted to the Atlantic with lush vegetation, a high tree line and pretty houses.

Funchal has won an award for cleanest city in Portugal. It should. It was warm, clean and attractive. The drivers, the taxi drivers at least, were Italian. They must have been; talk about point and shoot. Our excursion today was late so we went off the ship on foot first for the briefest of shopping trips. It probably will be easier to leave the port in the future as they are busy constructing improved facilities. At the moment it’s a bit basic but the island makes up for that.

I am a city boy at heart or at least a civilisation boy. My exposure to the less well provided for parts of the world has ideally to be under very carefully controlled circumstances. I have friends who have hiked Grand Canyon and plan to do so again. I have a friend who has climbed in Pakistan. I don’t plan to go anywhere I can’t wash for three days or where I have to crap in a bush.

So, I am pretty comfortable in Europe and I was comfortable today. The cable car ride was great and the botanical gardens deserved more time. I was not happy though with conditions for the aviary birds in the same gardens. They had company but no toys in a spartan environment. Parrots need entertainment. We saw the toboggans but did not go on them today. I am certainly tempted for the future.

Madeira is definitely a worthwhile holiday destination and I think we would take the day trip to the enticing Porto Santo.

Photo Credits

Most of the pictures in this blog were taken by Greg sometimes with my direction. A few such as El Muelle in the previous post were taken by me. All photographs copyright.

God's Country Indeed

In Las Palmas, we found an island within an island. We left the ship in bright warm sunshine and took what turned out to be a needless taxi ride to the new town. We could have walked. At first our walk seemed fruitless. We could not find a WiFi hotspot although we saw a couple of internet cafes with fixed workstations.

We went back down to the port – easily walked – to El Muelle and struck gold. The food court looked unprepossessing with the inevitable MacDonalds and Burger King but between then was a gem. Pais Divino is a Chinese buffet restaurant with all you can eat for €6.50; unbelievably cheap and the food was good. If that were not enough the adjacent restaurant had a hotspot and its internet was easily connected, cheap and really high speed. I was doubly satisfied.