Day 111 - At Sea (Day 7 of 7)

 

Date:  April 29

 

Location:  Day 111 – At Sea (Day 7 of 7)

 

Next Port:  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA, April 30

                                                                  

Report: Day 111, Sunday, April 29:  This is it! Our last cruise day. What a glorious world voyage it has been. One that we feel very privileged to have experienced.

 

We enjoyed (maybe) our last breakfast on the aft deck, before attending the Protestant church service. There were about 25 of us in the Horizon Lounge. We all thanked Jamie for being our “pastor” for these 17 weeks. He certainly doesn’t need the extra pressure to prepare for these services, but he truly does it for his love of the Lord.

 

Captain Dag has told several of us on separate occasions that he believes Jamie is the nicest person he has ever met. That’s quite a compliment from such a leader and experienced worldwide traveler. That respect and admiration is mutual and really shows when the two of them are together. It seems that whatever creative idea Jamie comes up with Capt. Dag comes through and fully supports it. They truly make a great team.

 

Karen played Bridge for awhile and then joined Larry at the White Elephant Sale in the Atrium. Passengers had been invited to donate items that they decided not to take home – “why did I buy that?” Jamie had also collected some treasures from among the crew and from a special, early-entry buying trip to the America’s Cup logo store in Valencia.

 

Jamie, of course, was the auctioneer. If he ever needs a second job, that could be it. He did a terrific job…as did the passengers in their bidding. All the proceeds went to the Voyager Crew Welfare Fund. In just over an hour, Jamie raised more than $22,000!

 

We had a delightful lunch in the sun on the Pool Deck with Mary Lou and John. They live in San Diego, so we hope to see them occasionally as we visit our daughter and husband who live close by to them.

 

We then spent most of the remainder of the afternoon on the Pool Deck and Larry got in a final swim. Late in the afternoon, Karen played Bingo for about the third time, picked up our passports and provided the library with some books that we didn’t want to carry home.

 

We met Ken, and Shirley and Norman, in the Observation Lounge and then had a last dinner in Compass Rose with them. We had a table by the window and enjoyed watching the ships heading into Florida on similar courses to us.

 

After dinner Larry played 3-card poker for a bit…he also cashed in the chips he had accumulated during the cruise. All in all, he believes he just about broke even in the casino. He played his big $40 stakes a couple of times a week during the first half of the trip, but cut back during the last half due to the numerous smokers in the casino.

 

We retreated to the Observation Lounge to say good-bye to Frankie and were also able to see Jenny and Kevin from New Zealand who we’ve shared many good times over the course of the cruise. We could see the lights of the Grand Bahamas on the horizon.

 

Upon returning to our room, there was a note that we could expect to begin disembarkation at 10:00 a.m. We have an 11:30 flight to Chicago…so things could be tight!

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

 

Days 109 and 110 - At Sea (Days 5 & 6 of 7)

 

Date:  April 27 and 28

 

Location:  Days 109 and 110 – At Sea (Day 5 & 6 of 7)

 

Next Port:  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA, April 30

                                                                  

Report: 

 

Day 109, Friday, April 27:  The core members of our Devotional Group met for breakfast in Compass Rose. The 12 of us had a great time breaking bread together and reliving the highlights of these past four months. We have struck strong bonds of friendship with both the staff participants – Jamie, Dana, Elda and Mallorie – and the three other couples who were consistent attendees – Barb and Richard, Mary Lou and John, and Dodi and Larry. We believe that these relationships will endure and that we will all cross paths again, whether on land or sea.

 

We dedicated the afternoon. Cecilia obtained the four three pieces of luggage that had been stored and we applied ourselves so diligently that we even had a chance to catch some rays on the Pool Deck.

 

At 5:30 we attended a “Stop the Packing Party” in the Atrium. Apparently this an annual event sponsored by a long-time cruiser. Jamie’s team had strung garments throughout; there were refreshments, the Voyager Quintet played and the singers entertained.

 

We had dinner in Compass Rose with Joan and David, after which we attended the last show of show of the Peter Grey Terhune Singers and Dancers. We have gotten to know most of the cast members and they have certainly added to the enjoyment of our trip.

 

Day 110, Saturday, April 28: With all our packing done we were able to spend a very restful next-to-last day at sea. Karen continued her Bridge Lesson and social game with her group. Larry attended the last lecture by Bill Miller, this one on the current cruise industry.

 

Karen had arranged for the group of us that had dinner together at Regent’s Departure Gala in Miami on January 8th, to get together for a reunion farewell lunch in the Compass Rose. The nine of us had fun reminiscing about the good times we’ve had and the sights we’ve been fortunate to see on this grand adventure. The other attendees were Yolanda, Nancy and Jerry, Shirley and Carl, and Phyllis and Eddie.

 

We got some more sun time and swimming on the Pool Deck in the afternoon. The seas have been very calm and the temps are in the mid-70s.

 

Last night, Jamie and his crew put on another spectacular. It was our last formal evening and we all gathered in the Constellation Theater before dinner for refreshments and good fun. The 90-minute show included humorous skits (such as the daily navigator’s report from the bridge and the Captain and Jamie singing some original songs); individual musical performances by Frankie, Elsa and Peter, and Nathaniel; entertainment by the Peter Grey Terhune Singers and Dancers; and singing by eight men and women from the crew (including our delightful stewardess, Cecilia). This was followed by a song by all the senior staff and crew members from each department as they paraded on the stage. Interspersed between the musical acts were readings by staff members of inspirational remembrances and thoughts that had been solicited from the passengers.

 

Jamie concluded the evening with a short video of the highlights of the trip and a closing message from him (in his water skiing gear) and from Capt. Dag, standing on the bulbous nose that protrudes from the nose of the ship (obviously shot while docked at our last port!)…and finally him sailing away in his new little white run about…with him saying that “old seamen don’t die, they just get smaller dinghies.

 

We then had dinner with Marji and Dave, Ken, and Marybeth and Gary. We retired to the Observation Lounge to listen to Frankie with Marybeth and Gary before calling it a night. We then packed up our formal wear and put the six bags that are being shipped home to Chicago out in the corridor. That action made it really seem that the end is near.

 

(The Captain told us that he had hoped to dock in Ft. Lauderdale at 8:00 p.m. on Sunday, so that the disembarkation could go smoother on Monday morning. But that the US Coast Guard would not honor his request. It seems that it’s Navy Week there and we would cause too much congestion. So we are scheduled to hit the pilot station at 5:00 a.m. on Monday and should be dockside at 6:00 a.m.)

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

 

Day 108 - At Sea (Day 5 of 7) (Farewell Gala & Crew Talent Show)

 

Date:  April 26

 

Location:  Day 108 – At Sea (Day 4 of 7)

 

Next Port:  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA, April 30

                                                                  

Report:  Thursday was the last day for the morning devotionals that Jamie and Dana have been conducting on sea days. We have had a fluctuating group numbering at times 18 or so, as others have come and gone. The hard core of 12 has included four World Cruise couples, Mallorie (one of our young production singers, and Elda (the Assistant Cruise director). We have thoroughly enjoyed these meetings and have developed a strong sense of community among the participants, including those who have only been on board for a couple of weeks or so. It has always been sad to see people disembark and leave the group. Now it is almost our time to say our final good-byes.

 

Today we had the last of the Nooma videos that Jamie has been showing. These are short 12-minute productions by a young minister that address life issues in a powerful manner. Tomorrow we plan to have breakfast together, so that Jamie will have time for all the other things he is involved in at this busy “end-of-the-cruise” time. All of us certainly appreciate the extra time, effort and enthusiasm he puts into his Christian outreach.

 

Our evening was super. We gathered with 10 friends in the Observation Lounge before heading down to the Compass Rose for our World Cruise Farewell Gala. The tables from the middle of the dining room had been cleared out to create a dance floor and Peter and Elisa played dance music throughout dinner. We had a special menu which concluded with the traditional waiters’ sparkler parade of Baked Alaska.

 

Then it was off to a packed Constellation Theater for the Crew Talent Show. This was the first one Jamie has organized on the Voyager and it was terrific. There were 12 or 13 acts – and every one of them was outstanding. It was lots of fun to see the folks we know as waiters, cooks, stewardesses, bartenders, pool boys, etc., step out of those roles and showcase their musical and dance talents. The cheers, whistles and standing ovations were clear demonstrations of how we felt about these wonderful young people. And you could see in their faces and expressions of joy that they were having a good time also.

 

Afterwards there was a wild cast party in the Voyager Lounge…which we heard then moved on the Horizon Lounge until about 2:00 a.m. (We turned in about 11:30.) It was a special night!

 

We will probably have to begin our packing tomorrow….ugh!

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

 

 

Days 106 and 107 - At Sea (Days 2 & 3 of 7)

 

Date:  April 24-25

 

Location:  Days 106 and 107 – At Sea (Days 2 and 3 of 7)

 

Next Port:  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA, April 30

 

Report:  Our time on the Voyager is rapidly coming to close and thoughts are turning to homeand our re-entry into the real world. We are also enjoying 25-hour days, as we are setting our clocks back almost every night of the 7-day crossing.

 

Day 106, Tuesday:  Larry spent a good part of the day getting his journal entries and photos uploaded to the Web. We’ve had some connection issues, but mainly the delay in posting has been due to too much going on and, to be frank, a fatigue factor in getting the journal done.

 

We both exercised and attended our devotional group’s gathering before breakfast. Larry attended an excellent lecture in the morning by Bill Miller, a real ocean liner and cruise line aficionado who has written 70+ books on the subjects. Karen continued her lessons and social game with her Bridge group.

 

We enjoyed telephone conversations with our daughters and Karen’s sister, Phyllis, and husband Dan; a quiet dinner; and some time in the Observation Lounge (both before and after dinner).

 

Day 107, Wednesday:  Many people have gotten into the serious packing mode. We are in a state of denial and haven’t even asked yet for the portion of our luggage that was put in storage. The rest is under the bed. (Early readers of this journal will remember, that as Full World Cruisers, Regent provides complimentary shipping to and from Ft. Lauderdale of up to 135 lbs. per person.)

 

We did receive our luggage tags – ours are Red. The color determines the order in which you disembark. And the bags on the dock are sorted by color. Since we have an 11:30 flight from Ft. Lauderdale, we need to reconfirm that we are in one of the earliest groups to get off…the timing could be tight.

 

There is a lot of luggage on this ship. We’ve seen many passengers (and crew) buying new suitcases so as to accommodate their numerous purchases. I’m pretty confident that we’ll be OK. We just didn’t purchase much, and what we did was small. We downsized to a small condo six years ago and have a rule, “To come into the condo it needs to be either edible or wearable.”

 

Larry attended another lecture on the famous Atlantic Ocean liners by Bill Miller, as well as a fascinating one on the Amazon River by Jean-Michel Cousteau.

 

After lunch, the crew set up a Country Fair on the Pool Deck. Each department set up a game for which passengers participated to earn coupons. Then the coupons were placed in a hopper for raffle prizes. The departments were competing for most original booth/game…with the prize being $250 for a party. The Dining Department won for great booth and game built around the Adams Family. Though a bit windy, everyone had a fun time.

 

In the evening, half the World Cruisers descended into the Crew Quarters for dinner and fun at “Jimbo’s Truck Stop Diner.” What a hilarious time we had.

 

We were met by floozy Elsa, Jimbo (Jamie), Flo (Lisa) and Bimbo (Dana)…all were in costume…and the ladies seemed to have had some surgical chest enhancements! Many of the past guests had experienced this event before and came in proper (funny) “truck stop” costumes and wigs.

 

We entered through the Crew Bar where Capt. Dag was serving up powerful drinks. We enjoyed a delicious cafeteria meal that was somewhat above most diners – yes, there was meatloaf, but there was also lobster! Afterwards, the quintet played for dancing in the crew bar…and Capt. Dag was still pouring.

 

(The Truck Stop Diner is running for three nights. For the first two, one-half of the World Cruisers attend each. On the third night – tomorrow – the Segment folks attend and we full World Cruisers have a gala going-away dinner in Compass Rose. And for three nights, the crew gets to eat in La Veranda. So everyone has a treat!)

 

After dinner we enjoyed a variety show featuring the Huber Marionettes and vocalist Richard Beavis. Another not so lazy sea day!

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

We have been having satellite issues and/or problems with the Picasa web site…I have been unable to load photos of the Country Fair and Jimbo’s Truck Stop Diner…stay tuned.

 

Day 105 - At Sea (Meeting the Navigator) (Day 1 of 7)

 

Date:  April 23

 

Location:  Day 105 – At Sea (Meeting the Navigator) (Day 1 of 7)

 

Next Port:  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA, April 30

 

Report:  We both have recommitted to ensuring that we would workout during each of our seven sea days. (Larry hasn’t been able to convince Karen that it’s the ship’s air conditioning that is shrinking the clothes!) We were both up early and completed our workouts before the 8:45 meeting of our devotional group. 

 

Karen continued her bridge lessons and after-class game with Barbara, Neil and Kirk.  She was high on the fact she and Kirk made a slam…something that doesn’t happen too often.

 

Capt. Dag and Jamie have promised that there will be a few surprises during our crossing…so we knew that today probably wouldn’t be just another “sea day” – particularly since we were sailing northwest and Ft. Lauderdale was to the southwest.

 

Unlike most cruise lines we have been on before, Capt. Dag opens his bridge to passengers. It is normally open from 10:00-11:30 and 1:00 to 3:00 on sea days or by special invitation.

 

A couple of weeks ago, Larry noted that the crew had been plotting a rendezvous with the Regent’s Navigator which would be enroute to Europe during our crossing. Today, suspecting something was up, he visited the bridge and received confirmation that we would be rendezvousing with the Navigator at about 3:00. Shortly thereafter, Capt. Dag announced the surprise meeting to the rest of the ship.

 

Then during lunch, Capt. Dag asked Larry if he’d like to photograph the rendezvous from a catbird location high up on the smokestacks. Of course the answer was, “YES!” (Karen was able to take a few pictures of Larry taking pictures of the event…very memorable all around.)

 

Capt. Dag said to come to the bridge at 2:00. At that time he outlined his plan: Laurens and Jamie would join him in the Zodiac. They would meet the Navigator with Jamie on water skis with a Regent flag and inflatable Orca. They planned to zoom between the two ships as we blared music across the waters. Capt. Dag would rendezvous with the Navigator’s captain in his Zodiac and exchange gifts…after which he would return to the Voyager and pick up Jean-Michel Cousteau and exchange him for Kenny Smiles, the comedian on the Navigator. Jean-Michel would use the Navigator’s public address system to tell its passengers about his Ocean Futures Society, while Kenny used ours to tell some jokes (and make fun of Capt. Dag).

 

Amazingly, during lunch the skies cleared and the sea turned almost glassy. What had been a somewhat drab day turned brilliantly sunny. The bright blue color of the water and the approaching white ship made for some great photos. Jamie fell as he zipped between the ships – Dag admitted later that he started too far away and could understand how Jamie could have been somewhat tired! We sailed slowly together for awhile before getting everyone back on board.  We then sounded our respective horns as the ships again turned east and west. There is never a dull moment on board!

 

This evening’s event was an “Underwater” cocktail party in the Constellation Theater. The venue was decorated with fluorescent fish, underwater scenes and sea ice sculptures.  Laurens and a couple others in full SCUBA gear passed out cocktail shrimp and the waiters passed caviar canapés. Elisa sang some “nautical” songs, and Capt. Dag and Jean-Michel spoke.

 

We had dinner with Ditta and Ellen in Compass Rose and then enjoyed the first performance of the Huber Marionettes.

 

So the first of our 7 sea days was anything but lazy! We apologize for the somewhat delayed publication of these last three journal entries.

 

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Pictures of our meeting Regent’s Navigator have been added.

 

Day 104 - Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

 

Date:  April 22

 

Location:  Day 104 –  Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain

 

Next Port:  Ft. Lauderdale, Florida, USA, April 30

 

Report:  Tenerife is the largest of the Canary Islands. Santa Cruz de Tenerife, its capital, is the maritime gateway to the island and one of Spain’s busiest ports. However, Santa Cruz is mostly a business and administrative center. As it was a Sunday, most of its stores were closed. Therefore, Regent provided a shuttle bus service over the foothills of the Mount Teide volcano to the seaside resort of Puerto de la Cruz.

 

The drive between the sharp, folded, green Anaga Mountains to the northeast of the city and the gentle, volcanic slopes of Mt. Tiede (12,200 ft.) to the southwest was beautiful. The view as we dropped into Puerto de la Cruz, with the white waves crashing on its craggy black volcanic coastline, was spectacular. The resort was much larger than we expected and bustling with tourists – we thought mostly Germans.

 

Once again we enjoyed a leisurely walk along the rock bulkheads, around the old fort walls, along the promenade and down close to the waves and rocks. Right in the center of the town’s shoreline were a series of stylish pools and restaurants – called “a lido” – encircled by low volcanic rock walls, much of which were painted white.  It was another artistic project of the late Cesar Manrique.

 

We had lunch at an outside restaurant enjoying the sun and cool breezes before returning to the ship by shuttle bus. (The “special chicken” lunch Karen ordered turned out to be a fried egg sandwich…something may have been lost in translation!) We passed by a white building that looked very familiar. And it should have. It was a performance auditorium designed by Santiago Calatrava (remember the buildings in our Valencia report?).

 

It was a very relaxing last day ashore. As we pulled away from the port at 3:00 p.m., and Tenerife faded into the distance, reality hit home. Our grand adventure truly is drawing to a close. The next land we spot will be the condos lining the harbor of Ft. Lauderdale – 3,458 nautical miles away. 

 

We are having many mixed feelings.  While we are sorry to see our journey winding down, we are also excited about seeing our friends and families back home. This has been a wonderful adventure.

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Pictures of our day on Tenerife have been added.

 

Day 103 - Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain

 

Date:  April 21

 

Location:  Day 103 – Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain

 

Next Port:  Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain, April 22

 

Report:  A volcanic constellation 800 miles southwest of Spain and 70 miles off the coast of southern Morocco, the seven Canary Islands lie at about the same latitude as central Florida. While several of the islands are fertile and overgrown with exotic tropical vegetation, Lanzarote (the fourthlargest island) is dry as a bone, with volcanic craters, lava caves and desert sand dunes. Heat from an eruption in 1730 is still rising through vents in the earth.

 

Lanzarote’s desert landscape has been kept beautiful through thoughtful development. It is quite a holiday resort. There are golden beaches, white resort villages, caves and a volcanic national park.

 

Rather than go into downtown Arrecife, we opted to take the ship’s shuttle service to Puerto del Carmen – a resort area along a beautiful beach about 8 miles to the west. We spent a delightful morning – walking from a small boat harbor along a couple of miles of the town’s wide beach and back. We shared a pizza at a small restaurant on a volcanic outcropping.

 

This village is filled with low, white cottages; lots of bars and restaurants; dive shops; and two or three streets of shops. It seems to be a very popular destination for northern Europeans and SCUBA divers. The tourist menus were printed in five languages: Spanish, English, German, Norwegian and Finnish!

 

After taking the shuttle back to the ship, we hired a taxi to run us up the hill to the former home of artist Cesar Manrique. His home is now a museum and foundation. It was an amazing place. On display was a collection of Manrique’s paintings and sculptures as well as his personal collection of art that included works by Picasso and Miro. But the real attraction was the house itself. It was designed by Manrique and built in the late 1960s on lava flows that occurred from 1730-1736. The two-story building was built over five very large natural volcanic bubbles or lava caves. There are large glass windows that look out onto swirling lava formations. The swimming pool is at the bottom of a collapsed lava tube. The basement level living quarters incorporate the five volcanic bubbles and are connected by means of small passageways bored into the lava. Large trees ascend through openings into the upper rooms. Manrique painted portions of the volcanic rock and the floors a brilliant white. The contrast with the black lava is very dramatic. It was a very unique experience.

 

Manrique is considered the founder of modern day Lanzarote. He designed most of the tourist attractions and convinced authorities to require all new buildings be painted white with green or brown trim (white with blue on the coast) to suggest coolness and fertility. He also led the fight against overdevelopment on Lanzarote.

 

Due to high winds, the planned pool deck party was moved inside. Serving tables were set up on Deck 4 of the Atrium and large dining tables were placed on Deck 5, surrounding the Atrium. Diners could also take their plates into Compass Rose. After dinner, there was an evening of entertainment by the singers and dancers in the Horizon Lounge. It was a lot of extra work, but we understand everyone had a good time.

 

We did not attend because we had an alternative invitation for a good time. We, and Arlene and Bruce, were invited to dine “en-suite” with Marji and Dave in their Voyager Suite. Eric, their butler, had moved in and set a beautiful table for six. We had champagne and shrimp for appetizers and then ordered dinner from a special Compass Rose menu. It was a very special evening.

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Pictures of our day on Lanzarote have been added.

 

Day 102 - At Sea

 

Date:  April 20

 

Location:  Day 102 – At Sea

 

Next Port:  Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain, April 21

 

Report:  Today was a blustery, cool day at sea. No real outside activities. In the late afternoon the skies cleared, but the seas started kick up pretty good.

 

We slept late, attended our morning devotionals at 8:45, after which we had breakfast – inside today…a bit cool on the aft deck. Karen attended her Bridge lesson and followed it up with an hour of playing with her partner Kirk. Larry attended two morning lectures: “The Canary Islands” by Sandra Bowern and “60 Years at CBS, Half of Them at 60 Minutes” by Don Hewitt and his wife, Marilyn Berger. She now writes for the NY Times and was previously a reporter for the Washington Post, NBC-TV and PBS. It was basically a Q&A session and was fairly interesting.

 

After lunch, we played Scrabble in the Game Room, read and both worked out. Karen also played darts with pick-up teams in the Atrium.

 

We enjoyed dinner tonight in Signatures, the Cordon Bleu restaurant, with Judy and Kirk, and Helga and Siegy.

 

It wasn’t the day in the sun on the pool deck we had hoped for (after staying up late last night to get our journal caught up)…but we still had good fun. We’ve learned to be very adaptable!

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Day 101 - Gibraltar, UK

 

Date:  April 19

 

Location:  Day 101 – Gibraltar, UK,

 

Next Port:  Arrecife, Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Spain, April 21

 

Quick Summary:  We had a quick stop at the tiny British colony of Gibraltar – whose rocky silhouette dominates the strait between Spain and Morocco. The World Cruisers were invited to a special morning concert inside St. Michael’s Cave, high up on “The Rock.” It was a great experience.

 

Report:  Being on the western edge of the time zone, it was still quite dark as we circled the peninsula and sailed into Gibraltar’s wide harbor. Nevertheless, we went up to the deck just before 7:00 a.m. and got a bit of exercise before breakfast. It was fun to watch “The Rock” become more and more visible in the early morning light.

 

Shortly after 8:00, about 250 of us climbed into minibuses for the short journey through the town of Gibraltar and up to St. Michael’s Cave. It is the largest of the more than 150 caves here and is a series of chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites. It’s a stunning venue.

 

We were greeted with orange juice, mimosas and champagne – at 8:30! It really will be hard to get back to normalcy! (Kids: Don’t worry, we only had the OJ.)

 

The 80-minute, classical performance in the grotto by the European Sinfonietta and violinist Barbara Doll was superb. This group tours throughout Europe and is primarily comprised of members of London’s greatest orchestras. Barbara Doll (Barbie Doll???) is originally from Germany and is a busysoloist and chamber musician. We felt very fortunate that their paths and ours crossed in such a spectacular venue.

 

On our bus ride down the hill, we made a stop at an outlook over the harbor, airport and the strait.

 

A geographical/historical refresher: Gibraltar sits at the end of a peninsula just east of the narrow 14 km strait separating Spain and Morocco (Europe and Africa). The Arabs and their Moorish armies seized the peninsula in 711 and went on to a successful conquest of Spain where they ruled for 750 years. The Spanish recaptured the peninsula and the rock in 1462…just prior to Columbus’ voyages to the New World. The English gained control in 1704 during the War of the Spanish Succession and after several years of local skirmishes, finally ceded Gibraltar in 1713 by the Treaty of Utrecht. Spain has been trying to get it back ever since, but to no avail. It was a strategic outpost during the Napoleonic Wars and both World Wars. In 1967, Franco closed the land border with Spain to strengthen his claims over the colony, and it remained closed until 1985.

 

Further down the hill, we stopped to visit a colony of Barbary Apes that inhabit the side of The Rock. These cinnamon-colored, tailless monkeys are native to Morocco’s Atlas Mountains. Legend holds that as long as the apes remain on Gibraltar, the British will keep the Rock.

 

We were dropped off in the old town of Gibraltar and enjoyed congested, colorful streets and shops. There is definitely anEnglish flavor – pubs, red phone booths, police with Bobby hats and prices in pounds Sterling. Gibraltar is a bizarre anomaly of Moorish, Spanish and British influences. But its population of 30,000 is fiercely patriotic to the crown.

 

We walked back to the ship for lunch prior to our 2:00 sail-away. Lunch on this warm, sunny day was accompanied by the Voyager Quintet and an ice cream bar. Oh, are we going to be in shock when we return to turkey sandwiches at home!

 

Shortly after leaving the dock, Capt. Dag announced we would be turning slow circles in the wide harbor for an hour or so as our magnetic compass was recalibrated. This compass is located on the forward portion of Deck 12, right where the new forward observation point was put in. Apparently all the metal in the new railing was having an impact on the compass’ accuracy. It was interesting to watch the technician use magnetic rods in the base of the compass to recalibrate it to the ship’s gyro and electronic systems on the bridge.

 

We then sailed through the strait -- with the mountains of Morocco on the left and Spain on the right. Goodbye Med and, once again, hello Atlantic Ocean! We last left the Atlantic on Feb. 4, when we sailed from Cape Town. Now we really are on the home stretch!

 

This evening, we were invited to have dinner with Jamie and Dana Logan, respectively our Cruise Director and World Cruise Hostess. We were joined by Cecilia and Don. It was a great dinner. Jamie and Dana reside in Traverse City, Michigan six months a year and have strong ties to Chicago. We are hopeful thatthey will visit us someday. They are fun people to be with.

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Photos of our visit to Gibraltar have been added

Day 100 - Malaga and Granada, Spain

 

Date:  April 18

 

Location:  Day 100 – Malaga and Granada, Spain

 

Next Port:  Gibraltar, UK, April 19

 

Quick Summary:  We made a very special trip today to Granada and the Alhambra, Spain’s most popular attraction.  We traveled through many olive orchards and the springtime countryside.

 

Report:  We docked early today in the working harbor of Malaga, Spain on the Costa del Sol. Malaga is part of the province of Andalusia and is nestled between the high mountains of the Sierra Nevada and the beaches of the Mediterranean Sea. It is also the birthplace of Pablo Picasso. After breakfast, we joined our tour group for a quick tour of Malaga, a pleasant port city with ancient streets and beautiful villas. We then started our 80 mile journey to Granada and the Alhambra.

 

After a brief rest stop, we rode into Granada, the capital of Spain under the Muslims during the 11th century. This city reached its pinnacle during the 15th century when the Christians re-conquered it under the rule of Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand. King Carlos V later constructed the beautiful palace and also founded the University of Granada. We were dropped off for a “Kodak moment” to take panoramic pictures of the city and of Alhambra from afar.

 

We then enjoyed a delicious sit-down lunch at the beautiful Alhambra Palace Hotel overlooking the whole city of Granada from the hill named Assabica. From there we made the 20-minute walk to the Alhambra where we met our special guide for the almost three hour tour.

 

Alhambra, also known as the “Red Castle,” was created originally for military purposes. This Moorish citadel was begun in the 1240’s and once comprised a complex of houses, schools, baths, barracks and gardens surrounded by defensive towers and thick walls. Today only the Alcazaba (the original fortress) and the Palacious Nazaries (the Royal Palace) remain.  Our first tour stop was to the magnificent palace with its (as described by Fodor’s), “endless, intricate conglomeration of patios, arches and cupolas made from wood, plaster and tile, lavishly colored and adorned with parquetry and ceramics in geometric patterns topped by delicate, frothy profusions of lacelike stucco and ornamental stalactites.” It was spectacular. We also learned that it was here that Queen Isabella and King Ferdinand gave their final approval to Christopher Columbus to search for the New World.

 

Our next tour stop was through the Generalife Gardens, a former summer residence featuring lovely patios mixing Moorish and Renaissance features. Fountains, flowers and cypress hedges combine to make Italian style terraces “fit for a king.” 

 

We then visited a workshop on the grounds for a demonstration of the making of wood inlays used in the ceilings and walls of the palace.  The craftsmen today sell table tops, wall hangings and jewelry boxes that are truly beautiful. 

 

Karen found a book store to purchase a copy of “Tales of the Alhambra,” written by American author Washington Irving while he was a guest at the Palace in the late 1820’s. Karen has been enjoying comparing travel descriptions of the countryside then by horseback and mules to the air-conditioned luxury buses we traveled in today. She is also looking forward to reading about the lives and experiences that happened in the places we visited on the grounds.

 

On our way out of Granada, we passed by the gypsy quarters, the cathedral and the Royal Chapel.  The cathedral was built over a large mosque and was the first Renaissance church in Spain. Isabella and Ferdinand built the Royal Chapel during the 15th century to house their tombs. Unfortunately, we did not have time to visit inside.

 

It was a long day and we were glad to return “home” to our ship in time for the last 20 minutes of a special performance of local Flamenco dancing. It was a nice ending to another very enjoyable day in Spain. We had dinner in our cabin which was very nice!

 

Karen

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Photos of our visit to Granada and Alhambra have been added

Day 99 - Valencia, Spain

 

Date:  April 17

 

Location:  Day 99 – Valencia, Spain

 

Next Port:  Malaga, Spain, April 18

 

Quick Summary:  We enjoyed a brief in stop Valencia, primarily for an exclusive America’s Cup Regatta event at the spectacular “City of the Arts and Sciences.”

 

Report:  Larry had a beautiful spring day in the Med to celebrate his birthday. Our “main event” was learning about the 32nd America’s Cup competition that is entering its final competitive stages here in Valencia.

 

If you are interested in a refresher on how this competition is current run, here is what we learned:

 

The America’s cup takes its name from the schooner America, which in 1851 beat the British fleet in a race around the Isle of Wright. The cup was bequeathed to the New York Yacht Club to be held as a challenge trophy to foster friendly competition between nations.

 

Since 1851 it has been contested 31 times. As a challenge-based trophy the event relies on a yacht club challenging the current holder to a match for the trophy. When you win, you also win the rights to the event.

 

For 132 years, the defending NYCC had a stranglehold on the trophy. But in 1970 the NYCC allowed multiple Challengers who could run their own selection series (known today as the Louis Vuitton Cup) to determine who would ultimately race the Defender for the America’s Cup.

 

The Challengers and the Defenders have split the six matches since the Australians took it from the USA in 1983. Swiss Alinghi won the trophy in 2003 by beating New Zealand. The win brings the competition to Europe for the first time. The Swiss, with no sea, chose Valencia as the site to defend the cup.

 

For the first time, a series of 13 preliminary fleet race regattas, the Louis Vuitton Acts, have been conducted over the past four years. All the teams have been competing in these Acts, with the results counting towards bonus points for the Louis Vuitton Cup.

 

Now the 11 Challenger team, armed with their bonus points, are meeting in Valencia for series of two round robin match races. The four leading teams will advance to the semi-finals. Winning the semi-final allows that team to Challenge the Defender, Swiss Alinghi. All the decisive duels are a best-of-nine series.

 

We departed the ship in a caravan of buses shortly after 8:00. First, we toured around the basin where the 12 competing teams have large, hangar-like structures that are the bases for their dockside operations. We made a brief stop at the VIP hall and climbed up on the deck to see some of the boats being made ready for the day’s competition.

 

The first Louis Vuitton round robin match was supposed to begin yesterday (April 16), but was called off due to lack of wind. The final 32nd America’s Cup Match will run from June 23 – July 7.

 

We drove to the City of the Arts and Sciences. This large tract of public buildings on the former bed of the Turia River was designed by Valencian architect Santiago Calatrava. Built between 1991-2001, it includes an opera house and performing arts center; an IMAX theater and planetarium; a science museum; an open-air oceanographic park; and a walkway/garden. The buildings are strikingly beautiful white structures – all curves and glass – surrounded by attractive streams and pools of water.

 

(We’ve visited Calatrava’s impressive winged-addition to the Milwaukee Art Museum, and his Olympic Stadium and other buildings built for the 2004 Athens Olympics. Plus, we are watching with interest his plans for a developer in Chicago. It would be the world’s tallest residential building and would be built on the city’s lakefront. It would be taller than the Sears Building and personally, we don’t believe its fits in on the small chosen site. It’s already been dubbed the “Drill Bit.”)

 

In the auditorium of the Science Museum we had a very informative presentation by Andy Green about the entire America’s cup operation and competition. Though he seems to still be a young man, Andy has been a very successful professional sailor – rising at one time to number 5 in the world rankings. He will be doing the radio commentary for this year’s America’s Cup.

 

Following this we walked over to the covered outside of the Hemisphere (Planetarium) for cocktails and local refreshments – accompanied by music and folk dancers.

 

We then re-boarded the buses for guided tours of downtown Valencia. We passed the important monuments such as the Central Market, the North Train Station, the Post Office and the Cathedral. It is am impressive city that would be well worthwhile for a future visit.

 

Capt. Dag had hoped to take the Voyager out too the race courts to watch the 11 boats in competition. We hung around awhile by some of the buoys on the western end of the course, but it appeared lack of wind would again cancel the day’s competition. (We had to leave before it was officially called off.) 

 

Karen arranged a special birthday dinner in Compass Rose for 11 of us. We were joined by Jenny and Kevin, Barb and Jim, Ken, Marji and Dave, and Judy and Kirk. We had balloons and table streamers. Judy presented Larry with a jester’s cap (actually one from FCB – the Football Club of Barcelona). Something to make Larry look funny! We had a birthday cake and of course all the waiters led the singing. (In addition, Larry received a small cake, two glasses of champagne and birthday wishes from Capt. Dag, delivered to the room in the afternoon.)

 

 Afterwards, Jenny and Kevin, Marji and David, and we retired to the Voyager Lounge where we were joined by Phyllis and Eddie. And Elisa sang “Will You Still Love Me When I’m 64?”  A fun day!

 

Karen and Larry

 

Photos of our cruise are available at the following web site:

 

picasaweb.google.com/larryworldcruise

 

Photos of our visit to Valencia have been added.