Sea Day: Monday May 20, 2013

Our final day onboard was spent packing our things and reminiscing.  Jessie and I asked Hildy what her favourite parts of the trip had been.  The answers were as follows:

·         Santorini for the beauty and flowers

·         Ephesus for the rich history

·         Malaga for the flowers and amazing views

·         Ship Food (because it was amazing)

·         Service on the boat; like not having to make her bed

All in all, it was a fantastic vacation.  We saw so much and had the opportunity to experience these wonderful things together.  They’re memories that will last us a lifetime!

Zeebrugge, Belgium: Sunday May 19, 2013

Our last port of call was Zeebrugge.  We met early to find our transfer bus taking us from the ship to Bruges; this was another tour we purchased through the online excursions site.  Initially we panicked because we couldn’t find the way out of the port, it was full of other cruise ships and huge carrier containers.  Finally we found a bus that shuttled us to the entrance and we were able to locate our taxi.  Unfortunately the last couple didn’t show up on time and we ended up waiting for one hour for them.  There was a Chinese man in the back seat who was very upset with the driver, but he really had no power in the situation.

Finally we were dropped off in the heart of Bruges, which was so charming.  The cobblestone streets and old architecture filled with various sculptures gave it such a enchanted feel.  We walked around the streets and looked at various shops and cathedrals.  There were several musicians playing on street corners which gave the area even more of a magical feel.

Eventually we made our way to a little sausage shop.  We bought a foot long sausage to share and enjoyed it thoroughly… it really hit the spot!

Afterwards, we made our way to a little café where we planned to try the infamous Belgium Waffle.   We decided to treat ourselves to some coffee and cake as well.  The waffles were slightly disappointing because there was too much sugar in the batter; which resulted in crunchy pastry when you bit down.  Perhaps this is the way they’re supposed to be, but none of us really enjoyed it.  The cake was much better. 

As we came to the town centre, there was a large fountain with various sculptures in it.  One of which was a mermaid with water pouring out of her nipples.  Hildy especially liked her and we joked around her for quite some time.

Walking along the various old streets, we stopped periodically to just admire the beauty around us.  The sights were so beautiful especially because of the contrasting cobblestone and flowing water in the river. 

As we were admiring the river, we saw a little boat cruise that ran through the canals of Bruges.  It looked so charming and offered a different vantage point of the city.  We decided to take the tour and eventually found the line.  The wait wasn’t too bad and soon we were boarding into our little boat.  Our tour guide spoke several languages and rotated between them to explain various facts and history. 

We found that although Hildy enjoyed the various historical buildings, her favourite parts were the wildlife.  This is demonstrated by the fact that when we came across a swans nest, she was so excited and expressive… more than she’d been for the whole trip because she hadn’t seen one before

After the boat tour, we made our way back to where our shuttle dropped us off originally.  Soon our driver came back and brought us back to our ship.  Bruges was a wonderful way to end our ports of call. It encompassed all of the charm and magic that we could want in a little town.  

St. Peter Port, Guernsey, Channel Islands: Saturday May 18, 2013

Our day began with a quick breakfast followed by a short line up as we waited for the tenders to take us to shore.  The ride was pretty quick and we were soon stepping off the boat onto the beautiful Guernsey Island. 

The three of us began by walking along the pier heading towards an old fort.  On the way we came across a local gentleman who chatted with us for a while; he was very friendly and showed us some of his English charm. 

On our way to the old fort, we stumbled across one of the cutest things I’d seen in a long time; a training pool for kids to learn how to sail.  There were about three adult men standing in the water wearing waders coaching at least a dozen children in miniature sized sail boats.  The three of us stood there and watched them for a good fifteen minutes.  One little girl was freaking out because she was scared and the men just encouraged her to keep going.  I was amazed at how well these little kids were able to handle the various ropes and tasks involved in sailing; so impressive! The cuteness factor was off the charts; it is something I’ll always remember. 

 Soon after, we came to Castel Cornet.  This was built by the English in the 13^th century to control the harbor.  Since then it had been developed and expanded as military needs have changed.  It was besieged by the French during the Hundred Years War and changed hands four times.  During the English Civil Wars it was the last Royalist stronghold to surrender to Parliament. 

In 1672, a huge explosion demolished the heart of the medieval castle and its dungeon. English soldiers continued to be garrisoned there until 1940 when it was occupied by the Germans.  In 1945 it was given to the States of Guernsey and now holds five museums, four historic gardens and hosts a variety of events. 

The castle was beautiful to look around especially since it was situated right on the waterfront.  Jessie took lots of beautiful photos.  We continued our walk along the pier and made it to the lighthouse where two men were catching fish.  It felt wonderful to have the ocean breeze in our faces and enjoy the freshness of the morning.

Walking back into the heart of the town, we took time to window shop and observe the cute little businesses.  We stopped in at the tourist office to exchange some currency and get a map.  It was probably good that this was our only English stop because we realized that money really doesn’t stretch that far here; it’s nothing like Spain. 

Continuing on our adventure, we walked through some little streets and made our way towards the infamous gardens.  Once we arrived, we were surrounded by the lush beauty of nature (and very talented gardeners).  We took time to smell the flowers and then parked ourselves on a nearby bench; giving ourselves the opportunity to take it all in.  There was a young family playing on an open patch of grass in front of us; a father on the ground rolling down a tiny hill with his little daughter—it was lovely. 

As we walked through the botanical gardens we found a greenhouse that was filled with beautiful plants and flowers.  Hildy enjoyed looking at the numerous orchids inside.  We also went inside the restrooms, which featured a three-in-one sink unit that would soap, wash and dry your hands using sensors… very high-tech!

Continuing on our walk, we went back to the centre of town and found a pub with a good wifi connection.  We decided to stop for a snack and catch up on some correspondence with home.  Knowing that we had a bit of cash left over, we ordered garlic bread and a crab cake (the size of a large egg).  These two little appetizers came to a total of $30 USD… we were all floored! Hildy made the comment that the food wasn’t worth it, but the experience definitely was!

As we continued back through town, we did some window shopping.  The streets were lined with tourists from the ship and everything was overpriced so we appreciated with our eyes, not our pocketbooks

Heading back to the ship, there was hot chocolate available as well as warm towels before we got on the tenders; that’s one of the things I love about cruising… such service!  Finally we arrived back on the boat and had a delicious meal before relaxing for the rest of the evening. 

Sea Day: Friday May 17, 2013

We used today as a recovery from the last few crazy days of touring.  We slept in until almost 10am this morning and then had a nice breakfast.  Hildy wasn’t feeling that great (partly from the rocking of the boat) so she went back to the room to lie down.  I went up to the Crow’s Nest to write my blogs, and Jessie stayed back on the Lido deck to read her novel.

We met back up at 1pm for lunch.  They served Indonesian food for lunch today so Jessie and I both took advantage of that, and Hildy found herself a yummy roast beef sandwich.

Following lunch, I came back to the room to continue writing and Jessie and Hildy went to a lecture on the Vikings.  The rest of the afternoon was spent on quiet time in the cabin and at 6pm we headed to the Tamarind for a gourmet dinner!

The Tamarind has to be one of my favourite places on board the Eurodam… the food is exquisite!

Following dinner, we were all in a monstrous food coma.  We came back to the room.  Jessie and I planned to head up to the hot tubs, but our rest took longer than expected and we realized that the hot tubs were about to close.  We were able to catch the sunset from the window in our stateroom which was a nice experience.

Jessie and I finished off the movie Thelma and Louise and then got our things ready for the early morning to come.  

Vigo, Spain: Thursday May 16, 2013

Our tour started at 10:30am and we were quickly met outside by our guide Orchidia.  Unfortunately as soon as we got outside, it began to rain and didn’t stop for the entire day.  The sky was gray and the surrounding areas weren’t nearly as pleasant as they would be if it were sunny, not to mention it was extremely cold.  Nevertheless, we boarded the bus and were on our way to Santiago, Spain. 

The journey lasted about an hour and our guide made small conversation with us in an effort to pass the time.  When we got off the bus, it was still pouring and there were numerous vendors selling umbrellas.  We eventually caved and bought two large ones. 

Upon entering the Cathedral, we were impressed by the immense size.  There was a mass occurring and there was not a single seat available in the expansive cathedral.  Everyone was soggy from the downpour and everyone was elaborately decked in ponchos, umbrella canes and rain slickers.   Hundreds of backpackers came with their large packs and were joining together in the worship.  Most of the service was conducted in Spanish, however the priest also made references in German and English. 

It was a great experience to be able to hear the organ play and the hundreds of people worshiping together.  Our guide tried to talk to us several times while in the cathedral, but monitors kept telling her to be quiet and respectful (I can completely understand this quiet policy).  The door to the crypt under the alter was open during the service, so we were able to go underneath the priest and look at the prize possession of Santiago Cathedral , the remains of Saint James. The church itself was founded on the place called “Field of Stars” where reportedly several shepherds saw many stars pointing to the grass where St. James was buried centuries before. The church was started in 800 AD and the village of Santiago developed around it, mostly during the time of 14^th century. We spent about 40 minutes walking around and observing the church, and finally we left the area.

Orchidia gave us a quick tour of the grounds, but I requested to go to a café for some coffee because we were all quite cold, especially Hildy.  She obliged and we soon found a café where we sipped on some delicious Spanish coffee. 

Orchidia talked to us about green wine, which is similar to white, except it has bubble and is a bit lighter.  Jessie and I were interested in trying this so she took us to a winery where we could purchase a bottle.  By this time, everyone was cold and uncomfortable, so there was a large push to get back to the bus.

Our guide gave us a hurried run through of the surrounding areas and we made our way back to the bus.  Jessie spent the ride home talking to Orchidia, while I tried to warm up in a nap (unsuccessfully).  The driver stopped the bus just outside of Vigo, on a hill where we could oversee the cityscape.  Jessie and I got off the bus to take a few photos and the rain was finally stopping.  After a couple shots, we re-boarded the bus and made our way back to the ship.

Once we were onboard again, Hildy went to the room to warm up in the bathtub and Jessie and I hit the buffet.  We had a yummy lunch and brought Hildy back a roast beef sandwhich which she happily ate in her warm bed. 

We didn’t do much for the remainder of the evening.  Jessie rented the movie Thelma and Louise, but Hildy wasn’t that interested in it… she didn’t approve of the sex scenes, but it was pretty funny to watch her face twist in horror.  

Lisbon, Portugal: Wednesday May 15, 2013

We began the day with breakfast in the dining room because our tour didn’t start until 11:30am.  Jessie and I thoroughly enjoyed our meals, but Hildy said her eggs were ‘gross’ because they were too runny.  It's difficult to cook to everyone's tastes and preferences. 

The ship had predicted 30 degree Celsius weather for the day and so we put on summer clothing, but when we glanced outside everyone was in long pants and jackets.  We decided to dress a bit warmer then, which was a good choice because it was actually a high of 15 for the day and windy.  I was not impressed with the lack of meteorological accuracy from the ship. 

Once outside, we met our tour guide, John.  We filled into a small van and the tour was set to go.  There were only 10 people on the tour, so it was nice and small.  We set off by driving through the town, which had tiny streets and was very hilly.  There were many similarities between Lisbon and San Francisco.  We learned that the same architects were hired to build the bridge in Lisbon, as those who created the Golden Gate Bridge. 

Throughout our driving tour we saw the diamond building which is now a museum and John discussed the history of the town.   We learned that 75% of the population died in an earthquake during the 18^th century.  This was a trilogy of a disaster because it encompassed an earthquake, fire and tsunami.

 

Much of the city is built over water and has a pine tree base.  The salt from the water preserves the trees so they don’t die.  They shift if there is an earthquake, which provide a good foundation for the buildings etc. 

Next, we were dropped off and looked around at a local cathedral, the Church of Santa Maria Maior Lisbon Patriarchal Cathedral built in the 12^th century.  This was another breathtaking cathedral with flying buttresses and was built in stone, and accented with stained glass.

Back on the bus, we passed the largest archway for an aqueduct in Europe, reaching 68 meters tall. 

Soon we were arriving at the Church of Belem.  It displayed beautiful stone masonry.  There was vast enclosed space with domes and typical cathedral carvings and paintings.  The cathedral was highly embellished and one could spend hours looking at the small details.  The building continued to house several other museums; however we unfortunately didn’t have time to visit them. 

Following the cathedral, John took us to see several maritime monuments along the Tabus River.  One monument was erected displaying 29 men, in honour of the seafarers who discovered so much of the world.   It was made to celebrate how much Portugal discovered of the world.  It included a marble map in the forefront which illustrated the different places discovered across the globe. 

From a distance, we saw the Jesus Statue; a replica of that in Rio de Janeiro.  It was built from the thankfulness that Portugal didn’t get involved in the Second World War.  People from churches raised money to build the monument out of vast gratitude.  Jesus’ nose is over one meter in length and it is positioned so that it can be seen from almost anywhere in the city. 

The tour ended and we were dropped off in the city centre.  We walked the Promenade filled with street performers.  Hildy was overwhelmed by the number of beggars and didn’t know who to help.  We did some window shopping and found a wonderful Portuguese bakery where we bought a variety of tarts (including the traditional egg/cream tart) and a bun.  We also purchased some freshly made strawberry juice which was a hit. 

We walked around a bit more, but there was such strong wind that day, that we were all quite cold.  We settled at a café and bought come coffee and soup, but didn’t stay long.  Soon we were headed back to the ship. 

We had dinner with a lovely couple from Texas and enjoyed getting to know them.  Jessie spent the majority of the meal talking with the husband about cameras and photography, as he had done it semi-professionally for the past 30 years. 

During the meal, the captain made an announcement that we were experiencing hurricane strength winds gusting more than 65mph.  This made for a rough ride and it was evident when looking out the windows that our ship was sitting at a 30 degree angle!

The captain told the passengers not to be alarmed, that the ship could tolerate such winds but recommended that the ladies not wear high heeled shoes, as they’d likely fall over and hurt themselves. 

After dinner, I felt a little queasy with the rocking of the boat, but I decided to join Jessie and Hildy for the Marriage Game Show in the theater.  I stayed for more than half of it, but then felt ill and retired to the room.  Jessie and Hildy stayed for the show and enjoyed the Indonesian show that followed.  I’m sure it was a good production. 

Cadiz, Spain: Tuesday May 14, 2013

We began our day in Cadiz with a quick brekky.  Jessie and I have been enjoying the congee onboard and we get it loaded up with tofu, chicken, beef, onions, garlic, seaweed, and mushrooms.  Hildy is a huge fan of the pickled herring onboard.  She eats it every morning with pumpernickel bread and a slice of cheese.  She says she’ll never get bored of it.  (For someone who dislikes fish, she loves her herring!)

Once we left the ship, we emerged outside.  Similar to the day before, it was cool, but later on in the day the sun did come out. 

We began with the Constitution Monument of 1812; it was a monument which represents a large Spanish Parliament flanked by allegories to war and the fruits of peace, whilst the Constitutional Text is placed upon a high pillar, with Justice situated at its base. 

Our intent was to move from there to the cathedral, but we took a wrong turn and ended up at the port side where we found high walled Promenades that looked out onto the ocean.  Beside them were beautiful gardens situated on stunning porcelain tiles.

The Promenade was decorated with stunning fountains, magnificent trees and an assortment of flowers.  Combined with the porcelain tiles, it reminded me of Alice in Wonderland.  

As we continued walking along the Promenade, we eventually came to the Botanical Gardens.  These were filled with whimsical hedges, plenty of benches and an assortment of plants.  The best parts of these Botanical Gardens however, were the cats.  There were so many!  Hildy was slightly outraged by the number around us (perhaps 20) but many were small black cats, and reminded us all of Dilly… how we missed him!  Jessie thought it would be apt to rename the gardens DillyBear Park.   Jessie couldn’t resist the temptation, and bent down to play with an affectionate little black cat.  Within no time, more were around her investigating. 

Another interesting aspect of the Botanical Gardens were the random dinosaurs displaced within. We weren’t sure why they were there, but we managed to get Hildy to pose with a T-Rex, so that was good fun!

Following the gardens, we arrived at the beach.  By this point, I was in desperate need of a bathroom and there were no public ones in sight, so we decided to sit down at a nearby café.  Here we ordered some delicious coffee with hot, frothy milk and checked our email.  It was a pleasant way to spend some time in the early afternoon… people watching at the beach right in front of us. 

As we continued along our way, we found a local shoe store and Jessie and I both treated ourselves to a new pair of shoes.  We’re surprised by the cheap prices on footwear here.  I bought a pair of nice, leather wedges for only 15 Euros… who can say no to that?!

After the shoe store, we made our way to another church.  This one had its interior covered in gold.  It was stunning.  The name of the church was the San Lorenzo Martir and I believe it was built in 1725. 

We soon arrived at the covered market which was the oldest marketplace in Spain.  It had a neoclassical look with columns surrounding exterior walls, which framed all the stalls inside.  There were many different types of stalls selling meat, produce, fish, wine and cheese.  Many locals were there doing their local daily shopping.  We tried a wine and cheese sampler which was very good!  This was Jessie’s favourite type of pick-me-up.  Hildy wasn’t too thrilled with either the wine or cheese and decided that she’d rather try some sausage.  I took her to various vendors who sold sausages and raw meat, but I think she was worried about getting sick because she didn’t want to commit to trying anything from any stall we came across. 

We later walked through flower market… Hildy was in paradise and then perused some of the shops.  We located a charming bakery and went inside to buy some treats.  We took our baked goodies to the steps of the cathedral and sat down and ate our pastries there.  They were delicious, but Hildy couldn’t resist sharing hers with the pigeons… soon we had nearly 50 pigeons surrounding us!!

Finishing our treats, we entered the Holy and Apostolic Cathedral of Cadiz, built in 1722.  The interior was magnificent and features a broad, complex apse-aisle where triangular and square vaults have been used, together with some sixteen chapels divided up into the side naves. 

The chapel took 116 years to complete and the various tastes of the architects were clearly seen.  The cathedral began in baroque style, seen by the ground plan and the interior.  However it was finished in Neoclassical style, seen by its façade, towers, domes and the second part of the interior, as well as most of the alter pieces and the high alter. 

Through some research, I learned that the 16 chapels are as follows:

1.       The Chapel of St. Peter

2.       The Chapel of the Virgin of the Assumption

3.       The Chapel of St. Sebastian

4.       The Chapel of St Thomas of Villaneuva

5.       The Chapel of the Holy Guardian Angel

6.       The Chapel of Brother Diego Jose de Cadiz

7.       The Chapel of St Benedict

8.       The Chapel of San Servando

9.       The Chapel of San German

10.   The Chapel of St. Theresa

11.   The Chapel of the Sacrarium

12.   The Chapel of St. Joseph

13.   The Chapel of San Juan Bautista de La Salle

14.   The Chapel of the “Corazon de Jesus”

15.   The Chapel of the Adoration of the Kings

16.   The Chapel of St. Paul

Inside the cathedral is also a crypt which was built between 1722 and 1730.  This was made out of “oyster stone” (A local stone excavated from the sea).  The world famous Manuel de Falla and the poet, Joes Maria Peman have their remains still in the crypt. 

Following the crypt, we saw gold and gems from the ‘new world’ (South America) which had been brought back to create new religious relics and treasures.  This concluded our self guided tour of the cathedral and we exited the building in awe. 

Following the Cathedral, we attempted more shopping however this was not a success because Hildy does not share the same enthusiasm for shopping and I think she was worn out from the day already.  Needless to say we arrived at the ship 1 ½ hours early because we couldn’t risk being late!

We all had some ‘alone time’ on board and did our own thing.  Later we met in the room before dinner to look through some pictures and share a bottle of wine.   It didn’t take much before Hildy thought she was drunk.  She was angry with me for giving her too much wine but it was quite funny to see her wobbling around the stateroom.  (In reality, she had less than one glass, so I don’t think it’s possible for her to be drunk). 

We proceeded to have a nice dinner, then came back to the room and rented Freedom Writers. All in all, it was a nice day.