Bonnetts Abroad Past Trips

Spain

Jo gave is a lift from home to East Cowes, She picked us up at 09:30, so we were on the 10:30 ferry.

We got to Southampton at about 11:30, ferry wasn't very busy and getting our bags out from under the stairs was straightforward.

Because Iona was berthed at Ocean Terminal, we decided to pull our bags there from the red funnel terminal. It isn't very far.

We dropped our big cases at the luggage points and went inside the terminal. There was a queue to check–in, but it was moving reasonably well, so we didn't have to wait long. At the check–in, they didn't like the photos we'd supplied, so they took some more. They also discovered that Debbie's passport number was wrong, so we had to go to a different check–in desk to get it changed. They blamed it on a system error. All in all, check–in didn't take too long and we sat down to wait for boarding. It seemed like we had to wait fro quite a long time before we were called forward for boarding, but the security screening was quick and we were on board before 13:00.

Once on board we headed straight to our room, where our luggage was already waiting for us.

We had lunch at the Quays, Debbie had the fish and chips, I had chicken katsu curry. We went to the buffet for deserts.

After lunch, we read for a while, unpacked our bags and walked around the ship to get our bearings.

After the Captain's safety announcements the bars opened, so we each had a flight of wine in the Glass House.

We went for dinner in the buffet, but it was a bit ropey, so we headed down to the Quays for a burger each.

We tried to go to the theatre for a show, but we couldn't get in, they were fully booked, so we headed back to the room and watched “Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid” on the TV.

Our first full day at sea. We had breakfast in the restaurant where we had a table for 2 by the window. Service was ok, but we wanted more coffee after we'd eaten, and eventually gave up waiting to be served.

We did the quiz in Brodies, the theme was food and drink. Another couple us, he was a chef so we thought we'd do ok, but we only got 14 out of 20.

We had lunch in the Olive Grove restaurant, very nice with good service , booked it again for later on in the cruise.

We tried to get into the cinema to see Elvis, but the queues were very long and the cinemas filled up fast, failed to get in, so we sat under the sky dome and read.

Dinner in the restaurant at a table for 8, it went on a while, so we missed our booked time slot for the theatre, to sent back to our room and watched “Mrs Lowry and Son”.

Our second sea day, there was a clock change overnight. The clocks went forward one hour.

Breakfast in the buffer, followed by the quiz in Brodies, theme as geography, we were joined by another couple but still only managed to get 14 out of 20.

I skipped lunch, the miso tuna from last night was a little too salty for my, debbie went to the Quays for fish.

It was a black tie night, and we'd booked the chef's table for 18:00. Table for 2 by the window, good service. Started with an amuse bouche consisting of some kind of mango drink, tian of Shrimp followed by beef wellington and cheese and biscuits. It was all very nice.

We tried to listen to an Eric Clapton tribute artist in the sky dome, he was good, but the acoustics were really bad so we didn't stop to listen for long.

Went back to the room and watched “Life of Pi” on television.

By the time we woke up, the ship was already docked.

It was still dark outside.

After breakfast in the buffer we headed off the ship

We walked along the marina to the status of Jules Verne, before heading inland a bit.

Vigo is quite hilly, but the town has installed elevators in the streets, which took some on the strain.

Even so, there were still quite a few steps up to the fort on the hill overlooking the harbour.

On the way down we passed an archaeological site from 1–2 AD. Walked through the town, clean and tidy and then back to the waterfront, round the harbour to the lighthouse and back before heading back to the ship.

Vigo is quite famous for its street art, we didn't seek it out, but did catch one or two pieces as we walked around.

The duty free shop in Vigo is after the security check, so anything you buy can be taken back on board.

We had a fish and chip lunch at the Quays.

In the evening we were booked into the Epicurean restaurant. Table for 2 – very nice, bottle of Gavi–de–Gavi between us.

After we'd eaten we caught some of the bird show in the sky dome, wasn't very good, so went back to the room and watched “Big” on tv.

Enjoyed Vigo, nice city. We walked about 5 miles in total

We had breakfast at the Quays.

After breakfast we headed to Brodies for the quiz. The theme was “London”, we were joined on out table by another couple, he was a retired London taxi driver.

We managed 17 out of 20.

We had fish and chip at the Quays for lunch.

later we had afternoon tea in the buffet.

In the evening we went to the headliners show, “Centre Stage – songs from the musicals”. Not particularly good.

We docked early in Gibraltar, but only had a short stay as we had to be back on board by 14:00.

We walked through the town, the plan was to head for the 100 ton gun

It was quite busy in the town, mainly from cruise ship passengers

We left the main street, thinking we could get to the gun by following the coast, what we hadn't realised was the it was through an industrial estate.

But a car salesman, spoke to us and told us, although the road we were on was a dead end, we could get out at the end if we went into a warehouse, up some steps inside, and out at the top level and through the car park. Which got us back on track.

We arrived at the 100 Ton Gun

We walked back to the ship through the main tourist route.

Back on the ship, in the afternoon we watched the film “Elvis” in the headliners theatre

Table for 6 in the restaurant for dinner.

Back in the room watched “west side story” on tv.

We walked 4 ½ miles in Gibraltar

It was quite a long walk from the ship, along the pier, into town

We were headed for Catillo De Santa Barbara

We initially took the wrong turning, and couldn't find the lift we were looking for, but we asked directions and got directed to the entrance, where we arrived a few minutes before it opened.

We were allowed free entrance, being pensioners, and walked down the long tunnel towards the lift.

The lift took us to the top. Spectacular views.

We started to descend, the plan was to walk along the top of the west wall, but it was closed half way down and we walked the rest through the gardens

Once at street level, we sought out St. Nicholas' Cathedral and had a look around there.

Then we headed back to the ship.

We had a buffet lunch

The ship berthed a long way down the quay in Barcelona, so we got the shuttle bus. It took us to the world trade centre.

From there it was a short walk to Las Ramblas

We walked up Las Ramblas for a while and then headed off towards the cathedral in the gothic quarter.

We eventually made it to the cathedral.

There was a Christmas market in full swing in the square in front of the cathedral.

We sauntered along the alleys back towards Las Ramblas.

Once on Las Ramblas we headed up to Place de Catalunya and sat down for a rest.

We header back down Las Ramblas and stopped for a look around the market. It had changed quite a lot since we were last here, over 15 years ago. Not so much basic products, but loads of takeaway food bites for tourists.

After the market we header back to the shuttle bus and returned to the ship.

In the evening we went to the show, Tom Ball. Excellent singer.

Dinner in the pearl restaurant, followed by a rock guitar show in the skydome.

We walked about 6 miles today.

Today we should have been in Valencia, but because it was the Valencia Marathom, they had decided that we wouldn't go there because the busses to the city centre wouldn't have been able to get through. So today we were at sea

Quite pleasant cruising down the Spanish coast.

Went to the show in the evening “Festival” – not too bad.

Watched “Best Seller” on the tv in the room. Good film.

Instead of stopping at Valencia yesterday, we stopped at Malaga today.

We were of the ship by 9 and got the shuttle bus. Which didn't actually take us very far, we could've walked.

We walked through Malaga, heading for the path that would take us up to Castillo de Gibralfaro.

We found the path and started climbing, it was a long steep path.

We stopped for a rest at a viewpoint about half way up.

At the top, the views were spectacular, especially up on the fort walls.

Once back down at street level, we popped in to see one of the nativity scenes that had been set up.

Back outside we walked slowly back towards the ship. Stopping for a well deserved beer on the way.

Back on the ship we had a late lunch in the restaurant.

Olive grove for dinner.

Watched “Falling for Figaro” on the TV

Walked about 6 miles today.

Pedestrians aren't allowed in the port area, so we had to get the shuttle bus to the dock gates.

We walked around the edge of the city along the sea wall.

Once we came to the cathedral we headed into the city through the central square and back to the ship

Walked about 5 miles.

Quiz in Brodies, theme was British History. We were joined by a couple who turned out to be retired history teachers. We got 14/20

Lunch under the sky dome, pizza and burger.

Black tie night so ate in the restaurant, beef wellington, very nice.

Back in the room watched “Enough Said” and “Elsa and Fred”

Our final stop was a grey and wet La Coruna, which wasn't on our original itinerary, but was a replacement because we couldn't stop at Lisbon yesterday due to the pilots being on strike.

We walked across the neck of the peninsula to the opposite side, trying to stay as dry as possible.

We walked along the seafront for a while, before turning back inland, where we stopped at a coffee shop to dry out a bit. Nice coffee 1 euro per cup.

After the coffee we headed back to the side of the peninsula where the ship was, and followed the coastline around to the ship.

A 4 ½ mile walk in the rain. Nice city though

Our last day on the ship. Time to back the bags and get everything ready for disembarkation.

And then we were back in Southampton

We chose to self disembark, so were off the ship before 7.

Dragged our cases from Ocean terminal to the red funnel terminal and we were on the 07:30 ferry.