Report #101 Saturday April 12, 2025 Sea Day Enroute To Valletta, Malta Cloudy And Overcast 62 Degrees 20mph Winds 6' Swell----Formal Dress

Today was a sea day that all of us looked forward to.  Not that there was so much going on, but more to have the chance to do as little as possible.  For us, that began with another good breakfast in the Pinnacle Grill with the nicest wait staff.   Great food and lots of piping hot coffee and we are good to go. 

 

There was only one perfect word to describe today's weather, and that's gloomy.   Windy and cold can also apply.  Where has the sun gone?    It wasn't too long ago that we were complaining about the heat and humidity.  Now we wouldn't mind some of that warmth back. 

 

Captain Frank delivered his noon talk confirming what we already knew.  It was an overcast day with temps in the 60's at most.  We have 207 nautical miles to reach the next port of Valletta, Malta traveling at 20 knots.   The seas have calmed down and the winds were far less than yesterday.   We can expect some sunshine, but also overcast skies with temps in the low 70's.  And better yet, there is no rain in sight.    

 

We kept busy with a deck walk, then both of us worked as we usually do….on reports from yesterday.  At lunchtime, we went to the Lido and found a large section had tables set for tonight.  That's when we remembered it was the Seder Dinner.  And it happened to be a formal evening as well.    Some of our favorite tablemates always attended the service and told us all about it the following day.  It was almost like being there.  

 

As well as formal attire, it was also the Masquerade Parade where the guests were invited to make an appearance at the three lounges starting from 6:45pm to 9:15pm.  And it was suggested to wear the masks we were gifted last night or wear one of your own.  Truthfully, there is something about eye masks that is creepy to us.    Maybe Halloween is a better time for them these days.  And perhaps if you lived centuries ago like in Venice, where there were masked balls for the elites.  Surely, we will hear all about the affair tomorrow at breakfast.

 

Anyway, dinner was the usual formal night fare such as escargots.  We remember when formal always meant caviar, but those days are long gone.   You can order it in the Pinnacle Grill we think, but at a hefty price.  We always ordered one for an appetizer, then passed it along to our friend Barb, who adored it.   We were always happy with the shrimp cocktails and we still are.  We had one of those, and one bowl of chicken soup with dumplings.  Nice and hot, it warmed me up.  Our entrees were the same ….the tenderloin without the crab and without béarnaise sauce or gravy.  All the meat needed was a little salt and it was perfect.  Desserts were strawberry sorbet and one chocolate volcano cake which looked a lot like the soufflés we used to get.  Come to think about it, we don't see these on the menus anymore either.

 

The entertainment for this evening was Andrea Amat, the flutist virtuoso de Valencia.  She had a different show tonight and will be leaving soon. 

 

Looking forward to seeing Valletta tomorrow.  It has been a long time since we were here last.

 

Bill & Mary Ann 

 

No Pictures

Report #100 Friday April 11, 2025 Cartagena, Spain Docked Port Side To Pier 9am-5pm Cloudy And Overcast No Sun Very Windy 62 Degrees-----Casual Dress

The country of Spain is more diverse than most folks know with jagged mountains, Atlantic northwest, and Mediterranean caves.  Their architecture spans the ages at each turn.  Roman ruins and cathedrals speak of great civilizations that had risen and fallen.  Today the underlying theme of Spain is "festive" with night life that includes the flamenco along with the enjoyment of seafood, paella, tapas, and the ever-present fine wines.

 

The capital of Spain is Madrid, and the population is 48.6 million people that speak Castilian and Spanish.  The top places to visit  are Madrid, Barcelona, Bilbao,  Cordoba, the Pyrenees, The Alhambra,  and Seville to name just a few. 

 

What is there to eat, you may ask?  Cured meats for starters.  They tend to prefer wafer-thin slices of chorizo, and "jamon" or ham.  Known for their Spanish hams, Jamon Iberico comes from a black-coated pig, which is a descendant from the wild boars.  Olive oil is number one in Spain, and they are the largest producer of the product in the world.  Have you ever tried paella?  It's a traditional dish of short grain rice, garlic, olive oil, and saffron.  It may contain shellfish (a no-no for me) or chicken and sausage if you prefer.    Tapas are a nice treat, the bite-size morsels of everything under the sun.  They go well with sherry, for instance.  Spain also has the largest area of wine cultivation in the world.  With an area of 505,370 square kilometers, there is plenty of room for a lot of vineyards.  

 

And today we are in the first port of Spain, Cartagena.  A city located on the southern coast of the country, it is one of the popular destinations for tourists.  And a frequent stop for cruise ships.  We have visited here several times over the years,  and have enjoyed it both through tours and on our own.  The town is right at the base of the dock and easily navigated on foot. 

 

After a rough night of sailing, we arrived at the break of dawn to Cartagena.  We were cleared by the local authorities before 9am, and the tour groups poured off shortly after that.  Some of the excursions today were a trolley train through town for 1 ½ hours for $60.  Discover Elche was a ride out of town that we did many years ago.  That was 6 hours for $90 (no lunch).   The Roman Theaters and tapas was 3 ½ hours for $100, and a snack was provided.  The same snack was given on the tour to Murcia to see convents and scenery.  The best of Cartagena with a snack was 7 hours and $ 120.  A Spanish horse ranch and show was 3 hours for $120 with a snack.  We bet that was a good tour.

 

What usually gets us off of the ship shortly after 9:30am are the crew drills that occur quite often while we are in a port.   Today it was different because the Captain said they were not allowed to conduct the drill with any speakers outside the ship.   So all of the whistles were inside the ship and loud as ever.  We left after 10am, and found it was going to be a rather cool day with winds and overcast clouds.  We did not see the sun come out all day, although the breeze was not chilly. 

 

There was no cruise terminal here, but there was a convenient info trailer, where we picked up another detailed map of the city.   While at the window, we asked the friendly young lady if she could recommend a pizzeria within walking of the ship.   Yes, she could, circling the street where we could find La Tagliatelle Restaurant.  She said most all of the nice restaurants opened by 1pm, with the exception of those that only opened for dinner.   Unless we found another venue along the way, we would search for that restaurant last.

 

There were a few tables set up with souvenirs on the way out of the pier.  Following the crowd from the ship, we turned left to the giant flagpole with the Flag of Spain.  Turning right took us past the plaza with the monument to the heroes of Santiago, Cuba, and Cavite.  We could hear the beat of many drums and trumpets and discovered there was a procession in progress.  This group of military-dressed men with feathered helmets, a marching band, were filing out of the City Hall, probably one of the most impressive buildings in the old city.  It has a tall ornate clocktower that went off on the hour and half-hour as well as music.   We felt like something special was going to happen later in the day, especially when we began to see some fellows decked out in nice suits as well as some ladies dressed in silk gowns carrying flower bouquets.  A wedding perhaps?

 

The City Hall was located in the Plaza del Ayentamiento where the Museum of the Roman Theatre, an outdoor facility that seated 7000 people in the 1^st century BC was also located.  Now that's old.   Calle Mayor, the main granite stone wide walkway began here.    This pedestrian-only street was filled with cafes, bars, shop, boutiques mixed with old houses and a few churches in between.  It was much the same as yesterday's walk in the walled town of Gibraltar, except far less businesses were opened today.  Spain is known for its late hour activities.  Even their mealtimes can extend to late dinners after 9pm.  

 

You could not help but noticed the balconies on the upper apartments.  Many of them were latticework iron with a variety of designs.  Since there are no backyards as we know them, people resorted to potted plants and shrubs.  The blooms of the geraniums and petunias were beautiful on these narrow balconies.  Another interesting thing we recall about people that live in these apartments, is that they will rent their balconies for days when there are processions or parades on the main street.  The holidays of Easter Week happens to be one of the special events with many processions involving hundreds of participants.  And that is coming up soon.   The folks that are willing to rent their balconies for viewing will drape a banner over them and post a website or phone number.  We saw many of these banners today.

 

We made one stop at the nut store called Sabor a Espana where one worker was stirring a copper pot with sugar and nuts.  You could smell the sugar cooking blocks away since the shop was open to the mall street. They had samples that were served while you watched the cook work.  Great idea.  We bought an 8 Euro bag of garapinados, or candied almonds to eat in our room.  We had seen the same shop in Gibraltar, but it was so packed with customers, we did not go inside. 

 

The crowd had thinned out by now, so we continued walking uphill all the way to Plaza de Espana.  This plaza was more park and kiddie playground than anything else.   The pedestrian-only shopping mall ended here, so we turned around to go back downhill.  One thing we might mention here is the fact that there are few if any public restrooms in these massive plazas.  They do exist in the restaurants, but unless you are a paying customer, they are off limits.  

 

So our next stop was at the Italian restaurant, which did not open until 1pm.  We happened to be right next to the Roman ruins, so we took photos from the outside, realizing we had been here on a tour many years ago.  It's still rubble just like it was back then.  Then we ran into friends that were on one of the walking tours that took them to the Castillo de la Concepcion, a hilltop fortress with sweeping views of the city below.  This excursion was listed as strenuous, and it appeared that most of the group was beat already.  After touring the Roman ruins here, they were on a tapa and wine walk up the Calle Mayor.  Bet they were looking forward to that part of the tour. 

 

We were about the first ones to enter the elegant Italian Restaurant La Tagliatella, where we were seated at a table for two.  We ordered two draft beers, then added a prosciutto pizza to share.  While waiting for our food,  our waitress brought a basket of fresh-baked focaccia bread with onions or green olive slices.  It was delicious, as were the small plate of green olives that only one of us ate.  By the time our pizza arrived, the entire place was full of locals, a sign to us that it was really a good Italian venue just like the info guide said.  We finished our meal with a dessert of a chocolate muffin with vanilla ice cream.  One thing that was nice here was we were inside the restaurant and not sitting in the outdoor sidewalk cafes.  The wind was blowing down the streets and not all of the outdoor venues had any protection from it.  By the time we left, there was no seating at any of the cafes indoor or outdoor.  

 

The search for a souvenir visor was not fruitful, but we did find a pair of earrings on one of the artist's tables near the pier.  They were a perfect match for a blouse I made a long time ago.  All aboard was 4:30pm, but we made it back by 3pm with time to work online.  One of us did sit outside on the veranda, but soon realized, it was time for our arctic coats to come out from under the bed.  Never thought we would have to use them, but sure glad we had brought them.

 

Captain Frank came on with his talk as usual shortly before we left the port.   He stated that the winds were favorable for leaving the port, and the skies would remain cloudy.  The wind was expected to increase to 32 knots with 5.5-foot swells as we got away from the harbor.  We now have 779 nautical miles to go to reach Valletta, Malta in two days.  That will take a speed of 19 knots to arrive before 12 noon.  He could not promise we would see the sun anytime too soon.

 

For dinner, we ordered one potato croquette and a bowl of piping hot chicken noodle soup with extra noodles (spaghetti, again ).  Caesar salads proceeded our mains of breaded lamb chops and one entree of veal pieces with a mushroom gravy and spätzle.  Both entrees were like comfort food, which is on the menu almost daily.  We like most of them.  Dessert was a piece of cherry cake and one scoop of pineapple sorbet.  Just right.

 

There was entertainment with the vocalist, Vicus, who was unable to perform a few nights ago.  Guess he recovered to deliver the beloved songs that the guests like.

 

Good thing there is one sea day tomorrow before the next port of Malta.  We really need more than that.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

338 pictures

Report # 99 Thursday April 10, 2025 Gibraltar, British Overseas Territory Docked Port Side To Pier 8am-4pm Cloudy With Heavy Overcast 62 Degrees 25mph Wind-----Casual Dress

Well, we were not alone in the port of Gibraltar early this morning.  The Tui Mein Schiff 7 was docking right after we did after 7:30am.  She is a big ship, compared to the Zuiderdam, with 111,500 gross tons and 2896 passengers with a crew of 1447.   The name Mein Schiff means "my ship", and to belongs to the family of Royal Caribbean , which we did not know. 

 

Gibraltar is a British Territory.  It is quite small in square kilometers, but it is famous for the "Rock" of Gibraltar.  There is a cable car that will take you to the top of the mountain where you can see the Great Siege Tunnels built from 1779 to 1783.  At the middle station, you will find the rare Barbary apes, or macaques that have no tails.   They are semi-wild and capable of snatching anything they can off of you.  The cable car rates were for an up and down ride for 23.50 Euro, or up and down with the nature reserve for 60 Euro, or a one way ride up and reserve for 56 Euro.  

 

Or you could have booked one of the ship's tours that did basically the same thing, but you would have a bus ride to the cable car station and back to the ship.  The excursions ran from 2 -3 hours and cost 75 to $80.  Then there was easy Gibraltar with an elegant tea for 2 hours and $85 or easy Gibraltar with tapas for $80. 

 

Since we have been to the top of the rock many years ago, we decided to explore the old town.  All aboard was 3:30pm, so we did not have a lot of time.   We had a long walk to the cruise terminal under heavily overcast skies that looked like rain, but it never did.  If the sun did appear, it was for a nano second.  The temperature of 65 degrees was OK for walking.  The weather reminded us of being in San Francisco on a summer day without the fog.    In the terminal, we found the info desk and picked up a nice map with the major sites listed and most of the street names.  Then we followed the crowd through the town until we arrived at the Casemates Square, with tons of history, colonial-style buildings and cafes and all types of eateries.  This square was large enough to host parades and concerts.  

 

Before we entered the square through the old arched tunnels, we paid a visit to the Eroski Supermarket, which sold all types of produce, meats, chicken, and fresh fish.  We did notice that the large apples and oranges were imported from France.   After entering the spacious square, we took note of the many types of cafes and restaurants there.   We even saw Burger , Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell between the souvenir shops and fish and chips cafes. 

 

From this square there was a pedestrian-only Main Street chock full of shops, boutiques, department and liquor stores, smoke shops, pharmacies, and souvenir shops.  The most seen stores were jewelry, watches, and higher-end places like Swarovski, Lladro,  Majorca Pearls and the place that sells the charm bracelets.   There were as many bars and restaurants as there were stores.  Woven in between these establishments were the historical places like City Hall, a museum and archive, Sacred Heart Church, St. Mary's Crowned Cathedral, The Convent, war memorials, a cemetery garden ,and Parliament. 

 

Trafalgar Cemetery was at the end of the shops and the old wall.  We had researched a pizzeria near here, but we did not have a really good detailed map.   We decided if we took the time to find the place, we may run out of time to get back before the all aboard time.  So we headed uphill and walked back on Prince Edward's Road that followed an ancient rock wall that separated the Gibraltar Nature Reserve from the town.  We took a short cut down a flight of steep stairs on an alleyway called "Forty Stairs".  

 

The only souvenir that one of us was searching for was a visor with Gibraltar printed on it.  All they sold were men's baseball caps.  Once again, we came back empty-handed.  But there still was time for lunch.  Back at Casemates Square, we went to a place called "The Rock" which served all types of food, except pizza.  We were in need of beverages, so we ordered pint Estrella draft beers.  Very good.  Then we added a beef burger with fries to share.   Nice for a change, we ended the meal with a dessert of a warm brownie and vanilla ice cream to share of course. 

 

The clock was ticking, so we headed back to the pier and got there by 3:10pm.  We had 20 minutes left before we were late, heaven forbid.   Today's walk was close to 5 miles or more, and it was wonderful to get back and relax for the remainder of the afternoon.

 

Captain Frank came on with his talk after 4pm.  He said we would be leaving soon and sailing to Cartagena, Spain tomorrow.  We have 255 nautical miles to go at a speed of 17 knots.  Then he added that the skies would remain overcast, but the winds would pick up from 30 knots to over 55 or 60 knots this evening.  Hmmm, that is significant.  And for safety reasons, he would have the outside decks closed off tonight.  Tomorrow's temperature should be around 66 degrees, and if the wind calms down, we can wear our shorts again. 

 

The ropes were cast off and we were sailing out of the harbor by 4:30pm.  We left the Mein Schiff 7 behind, and we had no idea when they were leaving.  Now we wonder if another ship or two will be in Cartagena tomorrow.  These Mediterranean ports are always crowded even this time of year.    Summer is worse.  We stayed on the veranda watching the "Rock" until it disappeared in the haze.  And just as the Captain said, the seas became turbulent, and the winds picked up dramatically.  The cold wind sent us back inside to continue working on photos.

 

We went to the dining room for dinner close to 8pm.  We ordered the same starters of shrimp cocktails and Caesar salads.  Mains were one chili chicken plate and one short rib dinner.  No dessert for us, we turned in for the evening.

 

The show was the singers of the Repertory Company with songs of the all-time great ladies of pop.  With the ship moving up and down and rolling and pitching, we doubt there were dancers on the stage tonight.

 

Tomorrow's port times are 9am to 4:30pm, another sort of short day.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

336 Pictures

Report #98 Wednesday April 9, 2025 Sea Day Enroute To Gilbraltar, British Territory Cloudy And Cool 62 Degrees 15mph Winds-----Casual Dress

Once again, it was completely dark outside at 7:30am when only three of us were waiting for the Pinnacle Grill to open for breakfast.   We think that after two full days in port, and the time changes forward in as many days, most folks decided to sleep later.  Or they forgot to turn the clocks ahead last night.  That happens a lot we hear.

 

The big event of the morning was the passport collection at the elevator landings where we got a receipt for them when we turn them over.   We understand that the Egyptian officials will be boarding a few days ahead  of our arrival to the port of Alexandria on April 16th.  They will be stamping everyone's passports without having a face-to-face inspection.  Everyone will be required to have our passports with us when we go ashore either independently or on a tour.   We heard a comment that 90% of the guests will be on tours, but that sounds like way too many to us.  There are some folks that will stay onboard and not go off at all. 

 

The weather was dismal with temperatures in the mid 60's.  The skies were overcast and there appeared to be fog that blocked the horizon.  Captain Frank said we had 263 nautical miles to go to Gibraltar, our next port of call.  Our speed was 17.5 knots sailing in waters 2400 feet deep.  When we reach the traffic scheme in the Straits, we will have to slow to 13 knots.  The pilot will arrive by 6:30am and we may need the assistance of a tugboat due to the currents and winds when entering the Mediterranean Sea.    He hopes to be docked by 8am on the portside since we will be bunkering fuel.  Today we were having 8 foot sea swells and 67 degree temps.  During the evening, the Captain expects the winds to pick up to 45 knots with wave heights 8 feet or better.  He advised everyone to stash anything that can fall in their rooms, and he may close down the outside decks for safety reasons.  

 

As for us, we stayed busy all day taking a deck walk, working online, reading, and researching for the upcoming ports in Europe.   We did take a lunch break in the Lido but kept the meal light with sandwiches.  Other activities included three lectures – one on a Polar voyage (he should be on the Pole-to-Pole cruise), a speech on Gibraltar, and the mysterious caves of Gibraltar.   It was so cool outside we doubt many people were in the pools.  So a good movie could be in order – Murder on the Orient Express.   It sure was a good book. 

 

International beer tasting took place in the Ocean Bar for $15 and a cooking show happened in the Rolling Stone Lounge with Kimberly and the head chefs.  There was another Cellar Master's dinner in the Pinnacle Grill starting at 6pm.  It was still in progress when we passed by the restaurant at 9pm.   When it is food pairing with wine, the evening can last much longer depending on the wine consumption. 

 

Our dinner was filled with different items such as tasty spring rolls, and a Spanish-type soup.  On days like today, hot soup is so good.  One of us had a salad, then we ordered one grilled pork chop and one tenderloin of beef dinner.  We had to laugh when both plates had hidden steamed spinach hiding under the meat.  We could swear we did not see the spinach on the menu with those entrees.  So we asked our waiter, who checked the menu.  There was no mention of spinach.   We think the chefs should not substitute any vegetable that is not advertised without letting the guest know about it.  Kadek quickly removed the spinach from our plates and apologized.  He did not see the green spinach underneath or he would have warned us.   So we think the cooks have an abundance of spinach cooked and try to use it up on the late dining crowd.  We will survive.  A nice dessert of a strawberry-like shortcake and one scoop of macadamia nut ice cream ended our meal on a positive note.  

 

The live entertainment returned tonight with a concert of a flutist by the name of Andrea Amat.  Her performance was Spanish-inspired with an audio/visual experience. 

 

Hope we have a decent day in Gibraltar tomorrow.  We cannot recall when we were here the last time, so it must have been several years ago.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No Pictures

Report #97 Tuesday April 8, 2025 Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canary Islands Docked Starboard Side To Pier 8am-5pm Sunny With Some Clouds 72 Degrees 7mph Wind-----Casual Dress

Well, here we are at breakfast, waiting for the doors to open and it is dark…like night time.  We know that we are on the correct time for the area we are traveling, but it doesn't seem right.  And to make it worse, the clocks are due to go forward again tonight to be on the correct time for Gibraltar in two days.  Even the reminder cards we got tonight said we will be on Mozambique, Botswana, and Libya time.  And these countries are on the east coast of Africa aren't they?  Something tells us someone has made a mistake or we are missing something?

 

We were supposed to be docked before 8am, according to Captain Frank.  But unknown to us, the MSC Splendida was on her way to Arrecife, Lanzarote as well, and they stole our pilot we heard.  They sped past us, and docked first, then we waited for the pilot and entered the harbor to dock second.   Since we will have a free shuttle to town, it really doesn't matter where we dock.  The only thing we know about the island of Lanzarote is that 55,000 people live here, and it is smaller than the island of Tenerife, yesterday's stop.

 

Some of today's tours were Hidden Lanzarote for 4 hours and $70, while Jameos Del Agua and Mirador Del Rio was also 4 hours for $80.   Trekking a volcano park was 4 hours for $80 and Cesar Manrique & Canary culture was 4 hours for $90.  Last but not least, there was the best of Lanzarote with lunch and a camel ride for 8 hours and $150.  Camels in the Canary Islands?  Really….

 

While processing yesterday's pictures, there was another crew drill.  But this one was short-lived as it ended 15 minutes after it started.  We left the ship around 10am, and boarded a waiting shuttle that took us to Marina Lanzarote about a 15-minute ride.    Walking across a tidal lagoon, you could see fisherman's cottages, tapas bars,  and palm-lined walkways.  This area also offers a  myriad of shops, a Carrefour food market, pharmacies, and restaurants as well as the cultural heart of downtown Arrecife.   As for us, we did not walk that way.

 

Turning left, we followed the main road that led to the town and seaside of Arrecife.  The weather could not have been more perfect with sunny skies and a pleasant cool breeze.   This will probably be the last port that we will enjoy the warmth of the sun and temperatures in the high 70's.   And that is one of the reasons so many Europeans come to these islands during the cooler months of the year.  

 

It seemed like we walked for miles to reach Castillo de San Gabriel where a stone causeway leads to the fortress and military museum.  From there, you can see the sweeping views of the harbor and city.  We did walk the length of the cause way two years ago, but today we just took photos.  On Avenida La Marina, there was shopping, hotels, restaurants, bars and cafes  all the way to the tallest hotel in town -  Arrecife Gran Hotel & Seafront Promenade.  In fact, this hotel is the tallest building in all of Lanzarote with ocean view rooms and rooftop dining.  It is also located right next to El Reducto Beach and Boardwalk.  This beach has golden sands, but don't be fooled.  This sand has been imported from the Sahara Desert, since most all of the beaches are volcanic black sand.   The rather shallow waters of this huge cove are protected from the ocean swells and are perfect for sunbathers and swimmers.  It was also clean as a whistle.  In the middle of this beach are restrooms, also well-tended.  Since we paid them a visit, we made it a point to walk on the soft sand, so we can say we stepped on the sands of the Sahara Desert.  That counts, doesn't it? 

 

Continuing past the beach, there was a garden with a fountain, but we could not locate a name.    There was a seaside walk along the seawall  with manicured gardens and interesting educational  signs along the way.  One of those signs mentioned the sea life in these waters.  They were whales, dolphins and loggerhead turtles.  They are commonly seen from the Cape Verde islands to here and beyond.  Now we know for sure those were the turtles we saw a few days ago.  And that explains the dozens of dolphins we spotted and this afternoon, three whales were on the starboard side as we sailed away from Lanzarote.    That is frosting on the cake to see this wildlife on these cruises.

 

At the end of the walkway was a structure that we recall is a disco nightclub.  The parking lot is on the side, and across the road was a most beautiful colonial-style building.  Once again, we could not locate a name, so it may be a hotel or a summer palace.   If we had a city map, it would have been marked, but the information center had run out of those maps. They advised us to go to another info center, but we never saw another one.   That was about as far as we could go, keeping in  mind we had the same distance back.  Did we mention there were designated bike lanes about all the way around this island?  They were well utilized along with some electric scooters and some folks in electric wheelchairs.  Henk and Christel had passed us on their dual bike at the beginning of the trail and then they flew by us on our way back to the shuttle.  Bet they were able to go for many miles.

 

What was on our minds now was lunch, so that was where we headed.   Two years ago, we came across one of the nicer Italian restaurants on the seaside avenue.  At that time, we had ordered an extra-large pizza, thinking it would be regular size.  Well, it took up most of the table for two where we sat on the railing.  Some of our ship buddies happened to be enjoying glasses of wine there and teased the heck out of us with such a big pizza.  We do recall that it took some time, but we did finish it. 

 

Today, we decided to keep the Hawaiian pizza medium size, which was still a 12 inch pie.  It was perfect with the chilled glasses of El Equila draft beers.  A nice breeze had cropped up, and we lingered long enough to share a dessert of a chocolate muffin with a side of vanilla ice cream.  Our waitress tried to explain the chocolate filling that melts when it is warm. Then we realized she was describing what we know as the chocolate volcano they used to serve in the Pinnacle Grill.   Why that popular dessert was removed from the menu is beyond us.  All aboard was 4:30pm, so we had no choice but to continue our hike back.  The last time, we waited too long, and the line for the shuttle went on forever. 

 

Back-tracking, we took photos that we missed on the way here.  If there was more time, and we had the energy, we might have strolled over the lagoon bridge to check out the many shops.  At this point, it was SO not worth it, and we continued to the shuttle bus.  Lucky for us, the bus was close to full and it finally left about 15 minutes later.  About half of the passengers were crew. 

 

We arrived back to the ship by 3:30pm and relaxed on the veranda in the little sun we had left.  It is also a great time for one of us that writes the happenings of the day while it is still fresh in our minds.  It does take both of us to get the sequence correct.  We were discussing the frequency of one port after another in a short time, and came to the conclusion that you may as well store the daily info in your mind like filling a blender.  Then at one point, you turn the switch on, and it all comes together in one confusing episode. A funny thought, but SO true these days.  Wish we had a dollar for every time we say do you remember this?  Or where did we see that?  What cruise was that on, or what time of year was it?  Good excuse for taking a lot of photos as they seem to tell the story the way it was. 

 

Captain Frank came on with his sail away talk after 4:30pm.  He said we will have a slight sea state with swells no bigger than 3 feet.  The temperature was still 73 degrees, but that would drop by tomorrow.  Other changes could be more clouds with a chance of rain.  Later this evening, he said the swells would increase to 9 feet with some rolling and pitching.   He said we were taking a northeasterly course to the Straits of Gibraltar doing a speed of 17.5 knots.  We will have one sea day to arrive there and the temperature will drop to the 60's.   And we will have to set the clocks forward again this evening putting the sunrise at 7:45am. 

 

Dinnertime had a Spanish-theme about it.  One of us tried the pork skewers with different spices, but the fussy eater among us had the everyday shrimp cocktail.  Caesar salads were next, then the entrees were one BBQ rib dinner without the chewy corn cob and the spinach.   It's never a problem substituting other sides that are on the alternate mains.   One of us had the Spanish meatballs which turned out to resemble meatball soup.  Four little beef meatballs were swimming in the marinara sauce.  Using the garlic bread provided, the extra sauce was eaten with the bread.  It worked just fine.  Dessert was one scoop of strawberry sorbet, and a torte with vanilla ice cream.  There was some added diced candied fruit on the side of the cake, but we could not identify it right away.  So we asked our waiter who figured it was the candied ginger.  Correct, that is one extra we never have is the after-dinner cart with the sweet goodies.  There is no longer a yum-yum person, but one of the it staff is there handing out the treats outside the dining room doors.  If nothing else, she always wishes us a wonderful evening.

 

Previously, Kimberly had announced that the soul singer this evening, Vicus, was unable to do his show.  He was having voice issues.  So there was no entertainment, but a repeat of the afternoon movie, "Wrong Place". 

 

With two days in a row of high-mile walking, we were more than ready to call it a day.  Really need more than one day at sea to recuperate.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

327 Pictures

Report #96 Monday April 7, 2025 Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands 7am-5pm Docked Starboard Side To Pier Sunny Skies 66 Degrees 10mph Wind-----Casual Dress

Our port of call today was one of the Canary Islands - Tenerife and the city of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, the capital of the archipelago.   These islands off the coast of West Africa belong to Spain.  Tenerife is one of the most popular destinations for tourists with up to seven million tourists annually.  Incredible. The population of Tenerife is about 208,100 people that are mainly Catholic and speak Spanish and some English.  The total square kilometers of this island is 150.6, and with four cruise ships including us visiting today, it should be crowded.

 

Tenerife is one of the busiest ports in Spain with fast ferries and merchant ships here.  And the city has the most shops in the Canary Islands.  So what keeps them going is trade, tourism, import and exports, and being the seat of government.  One of the biggest Carnaval parades in the world happens in Tenerife.  The locals are big on the night life and theaters.  Plaza de Espana is the largest square in all of the islands.  Fishing is a major industry with 7500 tons of fish caught a year.   And what surprises a lot of visitors is that most all of the beaches are black volcanic sand and extremely hot during the summertime.  One of the famous beaches imported pure white sand from the Sahara Desert to cover the black sand.   Smart.

 

Their favorite food is fish, wrinkled potatoes, and rabbit stew.  Their number one crops are bananas, and all types of veggies like onions, garlic, potatoes and tomatoes.  There are substantial numbers angel sharks in the waters, a type we are not familiar with.   By the way, the temperature of the sea water is in the high 50's.  Cool.  During the months of March to May, and September and October, it can be very windy here as well as cold at night.   And one interesting fact is that when shopping, don't buy fake brand like purses and watches and expect to get them through customs at the airport.  They will be confiscated.   

 

And there were some tours here today.  Mount Teide in Depth was 8 hours for $80, while Anaga Mountains and Colonial La Laguna was 4 ½ hours for $80.  Santa Cruz and the Pyramic Park was 4 hours for $85.  Gardens of the Valley was 4 ½ hours for $90.  Tenerife  Adventure in a 4x4 vehicle was 4 ½ hours for $140.

 

There were two things that stood out this morning.  One was that we were already docked well before 8am, and second -  we had absolutely no TV reception.  Only the movie channel was working, and we know those are pre-recorded, not live TV.    This was exactly what happened when we were here two years ago.  Every possible excuse was given by the front desk people, except the real reason for the interruption.  We were told today that the local government demands that all ships turn off their access to the satellite TV.  Why, when no one else in the world does that?  We do not know.   There were three other ships in port which were the Ponant Le Bellot, the  P&O Arcadia, and the largest ship, the MSC Splendida.  Local ferries had their own terminal and were Armas and Fred Olsen.  We assume all of the ships were in the "same boat" with the TV reception. 

 

Last night, we had been given a note stating that today between 9am and 3pm, our carpets would be shampooed.   It would take only 10 minutes per room and we need not be present while the work was taking place.  After breakfast, we did see the fellows working about 5 rooms up the hallway, but when they got close to us, they knew we were still here, and went down the hallway so as not to disturb us.  Hope they come back….

 

We left the ship by 10am and remembered that two years ago, we had been docked across from here on a long pier where we walked to town.  Today we were given the closest spot to town, but we were at the Cruise Terminal where technically, it was more complicated getting off of the ship.   There was a zig-zag gangway to the multi-level terminal where we took two escalators to access the ground floor.  Once down on ground level, we followed the green and blue lines in the walkway which led us through a parking lot and a small marina.  Then there was a pedestrian bridge that went over the highway and brought us to one of the main streets in town. 

 

When we passed through the terminal, we had picked up a nice pocket map.  This was a good time to study it so we knew the sights we were looking at along the way.  One of us loves maps, while the other one of us depends more on previous visits and is able to navigate quite well like a homing pigeon.   Well that seemed to work best today, because the street names in town seemed to change every single block.  The cross streets do the same thing.  Good grief.  Whoever came up with that idea had the intentions of confusing the tourists that were visiting for the first time.   Many countries do this with their streets like Mexico, Central and South America, and most of the Latin countries in Europe.  Maybe someone reading this has the simple explanation to this street-naming practice.  

 

Our hike had taken us to the Plaza de Espana, but instead of following the crowd, we turned left and walked the seaside road.  That took us past Iglesia de Concepcion Cathoilc church and rhe clocktower that was covered for repairs we assume.  Further up this road we saw a museum, Palacio of Justice, and the very ultra-modern Auditorio aden Martin.

 

Also on the way, we saw two construction rigs in the water near the shoreline.  One turned out to be Floatel Reliance.  We researched this rig and discovered it was accommodations for 500 offshore workers that are involved with construction in harsh sea conditions in the Gulf of America, the South Pacific, and Brazil.   It was built in Singapore in 2010 and includes a gallery, a mess, cinema, an internet café, outdoor recreation and a gym, a hospital and a helicopter pad.   There are rooms for up to four people with private bathrooms, similar to a cruise ship.   Who knew?  

 

It was here that we crossed the road and over the LRV (light rail vehicle) tracks and headed up a street that eventually took us to the Mercado Municipal Nuestra Senora de Africa, or the African Market.  Although we did not research this market, we are sure it has something to do with the slave trade centuries ago.  There are sculptures and monuments dedicated to some famous African people in the front of the market.  There was a lot to see in this market which has a central courtyard surrounded by food, fresh meat, and fish stalls as well as fruit and veggie stands.  In addition, many vendors have tables set up selling ceramics, costume jewelry, and artwork.  The tiled columns and walls sure reminded us of Funchal instead of somewhere in Spain.  On the lower level , there were some restaurants.  It was very busy here today with locals buying food and really nice bakery goods.   One of us did check out the souvenir tables, but it seemed every time I stopped to look, people crowded around me, so I left. 

 

Upon leaving the African Market, we carefully crossed the roundabout and proceeded over an old bridge with a massive dry bed canal beneath.  It must swell significantly when the rains come.  Across the road, there was a group of uniformed kids on the way to the market, obviously on a field trip.  They looked very happy to be out of the classroom on such a nice day.

 

Eventually, this street led to a mainly pedestrian street in the center of town with oodles of shopping, cafes, bakeries, and tiny boutiques.  The small restaurants use the car-free street for outdoor dining.  That happened where we live during the Covid crisis, and now that the scare is about over, these sidewalk tables have continued to be popular.  We took advantage of the many benches along the way giving us the chance to watch the locals out and about.  Many if them were elderly ladies walking their dogs or young ladies out with their babies for a stroll.  One thing we noticed was that most all of the vehicles are small cars or mini vans.  No big pick-up trucks here except for deliveries. 

 

We followed the same side street we took uphill two years ago that led us past some  very impressive  colonial buildings, some of which were governmental and banks.   Continuing uphill, we passed by a small hidden stone church right across from the Plaza Veinticinco de Julio in the center of the roundabout.  The large tiled fountain and the surrounding tiled benches were quite pretty and colorful.  Of course we tried out one of these benches before heading to a side street that took us to Parque Garcia Banabria.  This park was very large and full of blooming jacarandas,  camellias, and old growth ficus trees.  We saw a huge fountain as well as a huge monument dedicated to Garcia Banabria of course.  Following most of the paths planted with bamboo and bougainvillea, we exited the same way we had entered.  On our way back, we ducked into the stone church for a moment, but were told by an English-speaking priest that they were locking up for the afternoon.   At least we got to see the interior, but others behind us did not. 

 

We knew there was a nice Italian restaurant on one of these side streets, but when we were here two years ago, it was a Sunday and they did  not open until dinnertime.  We could not find it, so we figured they had closed down.  But we had done our homework before arriving here and knew of a 5 star restaurant in the Plaza de Espana closer to the ship. 

 

Locating the main pedestrian street again, we headed downhill past all of the shops and high end stores to the Plaza de Candelaria and the corner where Compostelana was located.   Our timing was just right arriving there around 1pm.  The outside dining area was full, but we chose to go upstairs to their main restaurant.  A handful of locals were there, which was good for us.  The quietness was short-lived because of group of 25 guests filled the center tables of the restaurant.  Within a half hour, the entire place was full. 

 

We did not have to wait long for our two draft beers called Jarra Cruzcampo…very good.  We chose a barbacoa chicken pizza topped with fresh tomatoes, onions, and mozzarella cheese, sprinkled with shredded parmesan.   Our young Spanish waiter, Jose, was pleased that we liked the pizza and beer a whole lot.  We added a dessert of a brownie with vanilla ice cream to share…also good naturally.   By the time we left the main restaurant, there was not a table to be found inside or outside.  Lunchtime for the Spaniards is later in the afternoon than what we are used to at home.  In the same vein, dinnertime can be as late as 9 or 10 pm. 

 

Our on way through the plaza, we stopped to buy a little keepsake of Tenerife, which was a string bracelet with Tenerife printed on a mini surfboard for a grand total of .99 Euro.  The nice lady vendor even put it on my wrist before we left. 

 

We decided to walk back to the ship along the main waterfront highway which had numerous names.  There was a bridge crossing to the pier that led us right to the entrance to the terminal building.  We passed through the xray, setting off the buzzer with my knee, which led to another pat down.  It just comes with the territory now.  We were back onboard by 3:30pm, having walked for over 5 hours.   More than likely, we will feel that later on tonight.

 

Now that the sun had moved over the ship, we were in the shade, and it was cool enough to use a blanket outside on the veranda.  We both made some progress with the dozens of photos and the "story" of our pleasant day in Tenerife.  The Captain came on with  his talk around 5pm, saying everyone was back onboard and we would be leaving around 6pm.  Now we will have 161 nautical miles to reach the island of Lanzarote tomorrow.  He expected 14 knot winds with a sea state of 3 feet and 71 degrees.  Not much changes would be seen tomorrow.  Good news. 

 

Dinnertime found us ordering small pulled pork tacos, a bowl of pumpkin soup with pepitas, and one Caesar salad.  Mains were chicken Cordon bleu with sliced potatoes and green peas with a dark gravy on the side.  One scoop of rocky road ice cream each made us happy. 

 

Once again, an entertainer from the Rolling Stones Lounge, Tempest B, sang some iconic songs from the World Stage.  This has to be the first time that we can remember that  the ship's singers took over a main show.  But then, that is really a big savings for the company, isn't it?  We are sure she was great, but we were so tired we missed it.

 

Ready or not….another port of Lanzarote tomorrow. 

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

378 Pictures

Report #95 Sunday April 6, 2025 Sea Day #2 Of 2 Enroute To Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands Overcast Skies 66 Degrees 10mph Wind 4' Swell-----Casual Dress

We all wondered why it was so dark this morning when we showed up for breakfast in the Pinnacle.  It looked more like dinner time, then we realized it had to do with putting the clocks ahead one hour again last night.  There were only three of us waiting for the doors to open.  Of course, today was Sunday and that means 11am brunch in the dining room.   And it also can mean that many people forgot to put their clocks forward.  

 

Well, the Captain was correct…the seas had calmed down overnight, and the winds had slowed to 9.4 mph.   When the sun finally appeared, the temperature was 66 degrees with mostly clear blue skies with a few scattered clouds.  It sure makes a difference with the color of the sea water when the sun is shining.   It changes from a dull grey to a deep blue and way better for picture-taking.

 

After our comfortable morning walk, we tried to bring up the port talks by Kimberly on our TV that we have been missing.  There were seven of them.   Not one of them would down-load.  It was more than frustrating since Kimberly can provide good information that you cannot get online or in the books we have brought with us.  However, we did watch the Tygerberg Children's Choir from Cape Town for the third time….yes, it was that good.  We will try for the port talks later this afternoon.

 

Captain Frank sounded the noon horn, then came on with his sea day update.  We were 127 nautical miles southwest of Dakar, Senegal doing from 15 to 17 knots.  We will pick up the local pilot at 6am, and be docked starboard early he hopes.  The sea swells were only 4 feet and we are still using one stabilizer.   The air temperature was 70 degrees and the sea waters were 72 degrees.  The weather should remain nice tomorrow although the afternoon winds will pick up.  The Captain's trivia today had to do with hurricanes…specifically ones that originate in this part of the world.  These storms begin in the Sahara Desert when the hot winds hit the cooler winds and create what he called atmospheric disturbances. These tropical storms occur mostly from April to November and happen to be the same hurricanes that will travel transatlantic to the east coast of America.   Interesting.

 

For a change, one of us made a run to the Dive-In grill for a cannonball burger and one regular hotdog.   We did add some fries, but probably won't do that again.  A bit too greasy for us.   And because this lunch was "to go", the chef wrapped them up with the foil.  It took all of 10 minutes to get the order, and five minutes back to our room.    We got wrapped up with a movie we have never seen before we tried the port talks again.  By 5pm, the early dining time, all of the port talks came up.  So we watched them one after the other, taking notes.  There is no rhyme or reason to this, other than no one else was watching because it was the early dinner time.  

 

We needed another walk, so we headed out around 7pm to deck three.  At the most, we counted five folks doing the same as us.  On our second time around, we spotted dolphins jumping in the wake of the ship on starboard side.  Wish we had the good camera, because they were too fast and too far to get good shots of them with the smaller camera.  Sometimes you have to simply enjoy the show and store the images in your head.  And earlier in the day, Bill saw two sea turtles, so I wasn't crazy when I saw one a day ago. 

 

Our dinner time arrived, but instead of it getting dark, the sun was shining bright and high in the sky.  Just the opposite of the darkness this morning.  Both of us ordered wedge salads and the every day shrimp cocktails.   Our mains were one beef brisket, similar to last night's entrée, and one custom made chicken piccata with linguine noodles and marinara sauce.  Both were excellent.  We shared a thin slice of carrot cake…also tasty and full of walnuts.  

 

There was no entertainment in the World Stage with the exception of a movie "Everyone Knows".  Instead there was a new activity of a Sock Hop held at three starting times in the Crow's Nest.  Guests were invited to dress in their favorite 50's outfits to shake, rattle, and roll to the music of the Fantasea group that usually plays in the Ocean Bar. 

 

Tomorrow will be the first stop in the Canary Islands and we are looking forward to it.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

No PIctures

Report #94 Saturday April 5, 2025 Sea Day #1 Of 2 Enroute To Santa Cruz de Tenerife, Tenerife, Canary Islands Overcast Skies 68 Degrees 15mph Wind 8' Swell Rough-----Casual Dress

You would think that sailing off the coast of Senegal and soon, Morocco, that it would be hot and steamy considering  that these countries are sub-Saharan Africa.   You would expect desert-like heat.  On the contrary.  We are sailing quite a ways off of the coastline, but the weather has turned cool and windy with some rough seas on top of that.   It was a perfect time to stay inside and finish yesterday's blog activities.  

 

During his noon talk, Captain Frank confirmed what we suspected that there were 8 foot swells, with a lot of pitching and rolling.  If we heard correctly, only one stabilizer is out to help with the motion.   Perhaps that is due to the 25 knot winds that have us slightly listing.  He added that we were currently 313 nautical miles off of the coast of Senegal with 555 nautical miles to reach our next port of Tenerife.    In addition, we are sailing in waters that are 10,000 feet deep at a speed of 16.5 knots.  The high of the afternoon was 69 degrees with the sea water at 73 degrees.  He promised the sea swells would reduce to about 4 feet by tomorrow.  We sure hope he is correct.   The other news was that we will need to put the clocks ahead one more hour this evening, which we basically don't like.   The secret to that is getting to bed early.  We are pretty good at that activity.

 

The Captain's nautical topic was about the Tropic of Cancer, which we are currently approaching.  We will pass that imaginary line on April 7^th when we dock in Tenerife, Canary Islands.  These middle latitudes compromise 40% of the world's surface.   The name "Cancer" comes from a constellation in the sky.  The rest of his explanation was too technical to understand quickly.

 

We had a productive day online with pictures and reports.  When these upcoming ports start to arrive one after the other,  we will need to do online info searches well ahead of time.  There will not be a lot of sea days to work it out in a timely manner.  But we will give it our best try. 

 

A few days ago, we received an invitation from Captain Frank, his wife Alexandra, Kimberly, Henk and Christel along with many officers to an "Aperol Spritz Party" at the Lido poolside at 5pm.  We had no idea what kind of drink that was, mostly due to the fact we are not into the wines.  Yesterday we happened to run into Henk while he and Christel were on their dual bike in the Plateau area of Praia.  So, we asked what kind of drink that was, and Henk said, don't worry, you will be able to order anything you want.   He knows we do not care for the wine.  Anyway, this was a small affair for the President's Club members only, although the number of staff and officers probably outnumbered the guests. 

 

The far end of the Lido pool area was cordoned off and set with festive tables with orange accents.  A bar set-up was in the center where the full service beverages were available.  We found a table for four in the shade.  It figures that the sun decided to make an appearance at 5pm.   Bob and Martha joined us for a fun hour of special canapes and drinks.  Daphne, the  guest relations manager joined us as well.  We all have known her since the early 2000's. 

 

The waiters brought a tray of a shrimp seafood salad in a wine glass of all things.  They also included a spoon to eat it.  They followed that with a tray of breaded shrimp that were huge with a side of another seafood appetizer.  Dips of teriyaki or soy came with the seafood.  Not wanting to chance a reaction, I passed on the food, as did Bill.  We had snacked on some pretzels in our room prior to coming here.  Before the cocktail hour was up, Henk came and joined the four of us, and we chatted mostly about next year's grand world voyage until it was time for the gathering to conclude.  We were the last ones to leave.   

 

Shortly before dinner, the sun went down in a mostly cloudless sky.  It looked really promising until it dipped below those horizon clouds.  At least the sky lit up nicely and there was some pretty colors in it.  Dinner was good with a chicken appetizer that was close to the one with smoked chicken slices a few days ago.  We could eat those every night, much like the Caesar salads we enjoy most nights.  Our mains were one smoked brisket with mashed potatoes and beans, while the comfort dish of the day was the Salisbury steak with mushroom gravy.    Mashed potatoes and peas and carrots came on the side.    We ended the meal with one scoop of vanilla ice cream and one orange sorbet.    Then we had to set the clocks ahead one hour.  We missed the show of the singer by the name of Parry Ace, a rock and roll star.  He is one of the entertainers in the Rolling Stones Lounge, but took the microphone in the World Stage for a change. 

 

One more relaxing day at sea and we will be in the Canary Islands.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

37 Pictures

Report #93 Friday April 4, 2025 Praia, Santiago, Cape Verde Docked Port Side To Pier 8am-5pm Cloudy With Some Sun 72 Degrees 15mph Wind-----Casual Dress

We have arrived to the port of Praia on the island of Santiago which is part of the archipelago of Cape Verde.  Also known by the Portuguese name of Praia, Ilha de Santiago, Cabo Verde.  These islands are located about 500 kilometers west of Senegal, West Africa and has a population of 553,000 people that speak Portuguese. 

 

A blend of volcanic mountains, beaches, and seaside villages best describes the several islands of Cape Verde.  Bordering the high season here, Praia, the capital, is our destination today.  Santiago is the largest of the islands and the first to be settled by the Portuguese in the 1400's.  Besides some sandy beaches and desert plains, there are green valleys suitable for sugar cane, which was grown here for centuries.   The interior is mountainous and perfect for hiking.  Inexpensive flights are available connecting the islands as well as a ferry service. 

 

The food and drink is typically Portuguese with imported olives and wines.  The African base food is corn and beans with all types of fish and the usual staples.  Many Italian tourists are attracted to Cape Verde, so it stands to reason there are wonderful pasta and pizza venues.   This works for us, as you may have already guessed.  However, today while in Praia, we were not in an area where we could find pizza, so we did not eat lunch there.

 

The town of Mindelo on Sao Vicente has an annual Mardi Gras that is considered the sexiest one this side of Rio.  Last year, we stopped at Mindelo and found it was a much more modern city with nice beaches…more attractive to the European vacationers.  For the music lovers, Praia has a line-up of African and European performers that give a concert that is held over 4 days in April.  It is followed by a jazz festival, which is huge. 

 

There were some ship tours today of course.   Cultural Praia was a 3 ½ hour walk for $65 in the Plateau area, exactly where the complimentary shuttle dropped us off.  Three tours had a lunch and 7 ½ to 8 hours from $110 to $120.  One was Taste of Santiago, then Island Discovery, and Nature and Culture.  One was called The Safari for 3 ½ hours in a 4x4 vehicle in the mountains for $140….no lunch.

 

Our day began with a great view of the dock activity while eating breakfast once the gangways were put out.   The tour groups came off the forward exit, while everyone else came off deck A center ship.  An ambulance showed up, and took someone off in a gurney…luggage and all.  The good news was that this person, we think a man, was waving to everyone as he was put in the ambulance.  The Captain, Henk, Kimberly, and Daphne, our guest relations manager all wished him well and one of them even gave this fellow a kiss.   That made us think this was a crew member.  Right before we left the port, the ambulance arrived while the same officers welcoming the patient back to the ship…luggage and all.  He was walking, so that was even better news that he was not left behind. 

 

During Kimberly's port talk on Praia, she mentioned that some of the town might close at noontime and not open again since it was a Friday.  However, we were not in a big hurry to take the shuttle, because we knew from previous visits that most businesses would not open until later in the morning.   Then there was another crew drill at 9:30am, necessary, but also interrupting and noisy.  It lasted for one hour, then we decided it was time to leave.  It appeared the shuttles were running every 15 minutes or so.  Except for loading the many types of wheelchairs and scooters, it took longer.  And these were the small buses which could navigate the narrow streets on the Plateau.  We figured the last time we stopped here, it was while on the 2018 world cruise.  There was much about the village on the plateau that we did not remember. 

 

Everything to see on the Plateau was within walking distance.   Naturally, when we got off of the shuttle there were the groups of locals pushing their tours for cheap.  Once you said no thanks, they gave up easily.   A young woman docent was there to give directions to the bus folks.   The first thing she mentioned was that there was free wifi in all of the squares and parks.  Then she described the layout of streets where the tourists go.  If we needed additional help, she was available all day at this bus stop. 

 

We walked up to the pedestrian street, then turned left, recalling there was a spectacular view from the end of this plateau.  That's when we ran into the first tour group doing the same thing as us but paying $65 for a guide and the ride here and back.  The group was at the Palace of the President, and the military area with the massive Cape Verde flag.  A statue of Diogo Gomes, the Portuguese explorer that discovered these islands in the 1400'2, was situated on the plateau with a wonderful view of the ocean and coastline below.  The Prime Minister's Residence was here with several embassies.  Police and military armed guards were everywhere, while a film crew was documenting something with the street blocked.  We recalled this same scenario occurred when we were here in 2018. 

 

We made or way to the central pedestrian Avenida Cidada de Lisboa where we ran into a small park with a fountain.  Every single bench was filled with ship guests trying to get their free wifi.  There is an outdoor mall with a multitude of shops, cafes, pubs, an old produce market with 2 levels, and a regular supermarket at the far end.   Many of the tiny cafes had benches and tables in a patio with the local beer, Estrela, advertised on the backs of the plastic chairs.   We ventured into the produce market, or should we say…we squeezed into the entryway at this busy market.   One of us was reluctant to go inside, however, it was too late to turn back.  The produce looked healthy and fresh being sold by mostly women who had little kids running around, or babies confined in plastic milk crates.   We did make it upstairs to the second level, expecting to see some souvenir tables, but all that was upstairs was more food products.   Many locals chose to sit on these steep stairs, so going back down was not so easy.  We have to add that one of us was subject to begging from some of the market vendors.  Even the little kids touched my legs as I walked by.  After getting close to the fish section of this market, the smell drove us out within minutes.  If there was a place where one might get pick-pocketed, this would be it.  Therefore, I was anxious to get back outside and away from the crowds. 

 

The only thing one of us was looking for was a simple visor with Cape Verde embroidered on it.  We soon figured out they don't exist here in Praia.  Even popular baseball caps for the fellows  were not to be seen.  We did take the time to duck into the narrow souvenir shops checking out their costume jewelry, but nothing popped out as special.   We heard later that the vendors were happy to take the Euros, US dollars, and any credit card.  The ratio for $1 USD was 102 CVE.  And no doubt, even the shop vendors would bargain.

 

There was no café or restaurant that was suitable for lunch.  And besides, most all of the chairs were already occupied by the cruise line guests who arrived before us.  Just as well, we are saving our appetites for the Canary Islands where we know some of the best places for pizza.   Making our way back to the shuttle stop, we ran into more tour guides trying to get our business.  No thanks worked fine.  While waiting for the shuttle to leave, a vendor tried selling his single shell necklaces through the opened windows.   The lady sitting in front of us was trapped and had to listen to this guy's sales pitch.   He kept saying the necklaces were for 2 year olds.  That's what we all heard.  Then after repeating it over and over, we realized he was saying 2 Euros.   He made no sales.

 

Then suddenly, a man from our ship came running and asked for help for a man who had an accident and needed to get back to the ship.  The docent explained this to the driver in rapid Portuguese, who went up the street and picked up this elderly man with his distraught wife.  It appeared that he either did a face plant or was punched.  No one asked as he was holding a washcloth to stop the bleeding.  People sitting in the front of the shuttle made room for both of them.   We were back to the pier within minutes and they were the last to get off.  Hopefully he will be OK.  It was no surprise there would be accidents with walking on the cobblestone streets with high sidewalks.   Even to access the small shops, you have to go up concrete steps to get inside with no handrails.   Anyway we were back to the ship by 12:30pm – record time for a port walk. 

 

We spent the rest of the afternoon working online and reading on the veranda.  As the day advanced, the winds picked up and the temperature dropped to almost chilly.  After at least three buses arrived late from their 8-hour tours, the ship left around 5pm.  The Captain's talk was short and sweet saying that we would be passing two other Cape Verde islands on our way northeast towards the Canary Islands.  The sighting would be on the port side, good for us.  We did pass one of the islands, Maio before it got dark.  The second island was Boa Vista, but that was around our dinnertime. 

 

We will have 942 nautical miles to reach Tenerife in a few days.   The weather should be sunny with 23 knot winds and 7 foot sea swells.  The temperature will be close to 69 degrees  with increasing swells overnight.  And finally, the clocks will go FORWARD this evening. 

 

Dinnertime found very few choices for us on the menu.   We did like the chicken and raisin appetizer with different types of salads.  Mains were one salmon dinner, mostly because I liked the rice pilaf.  It was good and there were no bones in the fish, my biggest objection to fish entrees.   One of us had the braised short ribs with teriyaki sauce.  Quite nice.  No dessert for either of us. 

 

Then we lost the one hour with the clocks set ahead and skipped the entertainment of piano man Naki Ataman.  We still may had another hour lost tonight as we head for the Canary Islands.  Time will tell.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report # 92 Thursday April 3, 2025 'National Burrito Day' Sea Day #6 Of 6 Enroute To Praia, Santiago, Cabo Verde Mostly Cloudy 72 Degrees 11mph Winds 6' Swell-----Casual Dress

Day six at sea found the weather noticeably cooler this morning.  That was a surprise to us since according to the ship's map, we are about across from Banjul, The Gambia, where it is always extremely hot and humid.   Being this far out at sea has to make the difference from the higher temps onshore.    Whatever the reason, we are not complaining.  

 

Coming back from breakfast, we saw that our hallway was blocked off starting with the cabin next door.  A couple of workmen had ripped up the carpet and underlayment to expose the metal decking.  Thinking there was a leak, we asked what was up.    They told us there was a dip and or a hump in the floor, and they were going to use quick-dry cement to level the problem.   Once dry, they would replace the carpeting.  The job was completed by the afternoon, and we would never know it had been fixed.  Actually, we never even noticed a problem there.

 

It was quite pleasant walking the promenade deck this morning and we are still seeing flying fish.  One of us actually spotted a medium-size sea turtle close to the ship as we flew by it.   Thinking I was seeing things, the turtle lifted its head out of the water.  No doubt I did see it.  There was not a bird to be seen.

 

Captain Frank came on right after he sounded the noon horn, stating that he knows that most everyone will be glad to be on "terra firma" tomorrow.  We have 338 nautical miles to go to the pilot station by 7am in the morning.  The sea depths are 15,000 feet and we are traveling with higher winds.  The sea state was rather bumpy with 6 ½ foot swells.  The current temperature was 74 degrees, and the sea temps were 80 degrees.  The outlook for Cape Verde will be partly sunny with 20 knot winds.  The Captain's topic today was mostly about the archipelago of Cape Verde.  The Portuguese settled here, as well as in Funchal and the Azores.  The slave trade and pirates were a major part of their early history.  The islands declared their independence in 1975.     Then Kimberly announced that there was a new tour offered in Alexandria, Egypt with a visit to a new museum.  

 

Today was National Burrito Day  and it was honored with a Burrito Festival in the Lido at lunchtime.  The burritos would be custom-made packed with bold and tasty ingredients.  Since we had Pinnacle Grill reservations tonight, we did not go to the Lido for lunch today. 

 

A good movie happened to be on the Prime channel on TV called Water For Elephants.   Having read the book several years ago, the movie was just as good.  The weather had gotten so cool by the later afternoon, it was too chilly to sit outside and read a book.  Never thought we would say that after all of these warm tropical places we have been.   We are certain that by the time we get to the Med, we will have to bring out our Arctic jackets to wear.  They have been spending the trip in a suitcase under the bed. 

 

The winds had picked up so much (20 knots) that the promenade deck was wet from the spray.  In the late afternoon, we did a mile, but came inside to warm up.  Usually there are early seating diners that will come out from the dining room to take an after-dinner stroll.  This evening, they came out one door and back inside the next set of doors. 

 

Dinnertime in the Pinnacle Grill was nice.  It was not crowded and the service went smoothly.  We had our usual starters of the wedge salad and clothes line bacon.  Excellent as always.  Our mains were one short rib meal with fun noodles and one sea bass plate with crispy French fries.   We're not sure what was fun about the noodles, but they were tasty with a soy sauce drizzled over them with green beans in the mix.  There was a new dessert on the side panel which Tina said we had to try.  Normally, we don't do desserts often, but we were willing to give the strawberry cream dessert in a jar sprinkled with broken biscotti cookies a try.   She was right….the dessert was refreshing and not overly sweet. 

 

There was a song and dance show in the World Stage by the Repertory Company, although with the ship moving like it was, we doubt there was a lot of dancing.  

 

Tomorrow we will be in Cape Verde.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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Report # 91 Wednesday April 2, 2025 Sea Day #5 Of 6 Enroute To Praia, Santiago, Cabo Verde Mostly Cloudy With Some Rain Showers 82 Degrees 11mph Winds 6' Swell-----Casual Dress

We discovered that the elevator carpets had been restored to the correct day of the week, which is Wednesday.  Each and every elevator we used during the day said something different.  Honestly that's not nice to do to the older folks.

 

Anyway, here we are on day five, sailing off of the coast of Monrovia.   When we woke up, it was raining with lightning strikes on the horizon.  We knew it was in the forecast, but we have seen little of this during the daytime.  What we did see this morning was a big surprise.  While we were eating breakfast, we spotted at least 50 tuna jumping in a line straight away from the ship about 100 yards away.  They must have been feeding in a school, and the ship spooked them.  Naturally, we watched for more sightings, but that was it.  They were gone in a flash.

 

As we are sailing basically northwest, the Zuiderdam is following the west coast of Africa, we will pass by Ghana, The Ivory Coast, Liberia, and Sierra Leone.  Tomorrow we will pass by The Gambia and Senegal….places we have stopped on the last two world voyages.  We are glad not to stop at some of these countries this year.  Here are three reasons why we are glad.  First of all, they are 3^rd world countries, they can be dangerous, and it's way too hot there.  Need we say more?   Well yes a little bit more regarding dangerous places in the world.  Take Ghana for instance.  While there, we took the shuttle to town, where some of the local vendor ladies threw fish at us.  This is not your typical tourist town, so they don't take kindly to visitors, specifically American visitors.  Banjul, The Gambia was interesting, but also off the beaten track.  One sweep through their massive maze of the produce market and everything else under the sun will never leave your memory.  A place to have lunch?  Not on your life.  Senegal had to be the most intimidating.  Taking the shuttle in Dakar, we were surrounded with local thugs within minutes of getting off in a central park area of downtown.   Even the crew got attacked by these thugs.  It took us fifteen minutes before we got back on the next bus and went back to the ship.  By the way, the shuttle service was stopped later that day.  Another time, while at a stop in Dakar, no one was allowed off of the ship and containers of food and supplies were not released to us.  Eventually, the captain said pull the ropes….we are leaving this port.  And we did. Remember when we were on the safari?  Our ranger driver said many foreign visitors get kidnapped for ransom in these undeveloped countries in West Africa.  Most of these incidents never make the news.   Yep, glad we are bypassing the lot of them.

 

Captain Frank said we had 840 nautical miles to get to Cape Verde.  At the moment, we were sailing 179 nautical miles off of the West Coast of Africa at a speed of 20.2 knots.  The sea depths are 50,000 feet, while the temperature were 83 degrees.  The sea temps were 89 degrees – about the hottest it will get.  The sea state was 5.5 feet and the stabilizers are out.  The skies were cloudy with a breeze of 14 knots, which will increase as the day progresses.  The Captain expects the temperature to drop in a few days to 79 degrees.   We will welcome that and far less humidity will be nice as well. 

 

Finally, we have caught up with the reports and photos.  And today was a lazy one for us, with the exception of a couple of good walks on the promenade deck.  The late afternoon walk found only about five people outside.  It's still warm and humid, and we think many people have chosen to participate inside the ship with the usual activities. 

 

We did have an invitation to an early cocktail party at 4pm with or travel group in the Gallery Bar.  That is way too early for us, so we passed on the invite.  We think that so many of our group has early dining at 5pm,  this party was targeted to that group.  The last gathering they had was at 6:30pm, where the early diners come for after dinner drinks.

 

This evening, we had a dinner date with friends Ginni and Rich, who we have known since 2007.  They recently joined the ship in Cape Town and will stay to the end in Ft. Lauderdale.  We moved to a larger table for four and their waiter, Yoga, took care of us.  Our waiter Kadek pitched in when he could, since there were few diners here tonight.  That made it nice for us to discuss so many things with them, including sharing recent  personal stories and the hot topic of politics, that we stayed until almost 9:30pm.  Our meals included a Caesar salad, a bowl of excellent udon soup, one beef Thai appetizer, and a shrimp taco, Mexican-style.  Our entrees were halibut, a bit on the dry side, and one chicken scallopini – moist and tender.  One scoop of mango sorbet was just right for one of us. 

 

There was another what we consider a bizarre activity called "Once Upon a Time Party"  held in the Billboard Onboard from 8:15 to 9:30pm.   Get this….the guests were invited to attend this story time dressed in pajamas or fairy tale attire.  What's that we asked?   With a background of music, there would be a story told "Adventures Of Zuidy".  Sure sounds like being transported back to kindergarten to us.   Geez, too bad we missed it because we were having a fine time on the dining room instead.  We also missed the entertainment of the ballroom dance team Alex and Magdalena – world class dance champions.  No doubt they were good.

 

Better yet – the clocks went back one more hour tonight.  One more sea day, and we will be in Cape Verde.

 

Bill & Mary Ann

 

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