Melsea's belated short cruise adventures E304 Palma, Cartag

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melsea
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Melsea's belated short cruise adventures E304 Palma, Cartag

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Post by melsea »

Melsea's belated short cruise adventures E304 Palma & Cartagena and Gibraltar.

25 March Palma, Majorca Spain.
It was a lovely sunny day. I took the shuttle bus to the Cathedral which was about a 15 minute journey. It was very windy and walking up to where the Cathedral was I was having trouble walking against it but at least the sun was shining. I went around the outside of the Cathedral trying to get to the old town but got a lost a little. i notice on my walk there were a number of beautiful court yards to peoples homes and I was able to take photos of them through the gap of the gates, these will give me inspirations for painting. i looked in a number of shops especially shoe ones as I know that some of them have small sizes but I was not lucky in find anything I liked or my size this time. I was told about a chocolate factory shop which I found and it was a really tiny shop full of unusual looking chocolates and surprisingly a great deal of choice. i only came away with a two scoop tub of ice cream one of which was white chocolate, my favourite. I did not stay long and I got back to the ship at around 3pm and met Bill up at the Cafe Jardin for lunch.
I did notice that some people took tours on a hop on hop off bus which seem to pop up at every port we go to.

26 March Cartagena, Spain

On this day we arrived in Cartagena, Spain. We got off at around 11.15 and we went in search of our friends Debbie & David who we met on Aurora 4 years ago on a world cruise 2009, they were on the following years cruise on which we got engaged and they remember very well. They took us to a cafe they knew of and we spent a good few hours chatting and catching up with them. They used to live in Australia up until last year and now they are nearer to their family and friends. We had to be back for 4.30 I think so not a long day on shore. The weather was not the best it was very cloudy and windy too and just as we had our sail away the sun came out, typical. So onto our last port Gibraltar.

27 March Gibraltar

Today we had a very short stay in Gibraltar. I left the ship just before 9am. I walked into town rather than pay £2 for the taxi shuttle service. I think I saw that it was £3 or €3 return. I also need the exercise. The walk into town was a pleasant one and since it was early none of the shops open until 9.30 I looked to see where the main street was and found it very easily, in fact Gibraltar is an easy place to find anything. Having gone all the way to the end I turned round and started my way back down the street going into various shops. I bought a couple of treats for us from Mark and Spencer's. And in one of the many wine shops got a bottle of wine each for my sisters who do like their wine.
Got back at 11.30, I went up on the top deck to take a couple of photos on the iPad. I noticed that in the distance that the airport spans between Gibraltar & Spain and when there are no planes taking off or landing there is a flurry of people and vehicles going across the runway, from the we were they looked like little ants on the move. At 12.30 there was an Ice Sculptor demonstration and some people were sat close to the stage, this was by the Terrace Pool. When he started to calve it was apparent that these passengers were a little too close for comfort and ice chunks went over every one and as this could take your eye out they had to move backwards to be clear of it. When the ice sculpture had finished, it was shaped into an angel fish, and very good it was too. Having taken a few photos and watching the ice show I went back to the cabin to get Bill and we went to the final sail away party where we redeemed our voucher for a free sail away champagne. For lunch we had something from the BBQ which was on lido deck, we took our lunch inside at the buffet restaurant The Plaza, as it was a little to cool and noisy outside. As we left the port of Gibraltar it became very windy and somewhat colder also, met a number of people coming inside saying it was very cold and I quickly said well at least that should prepare you for when we get back, tut tut was the look I got.

Saw the headliners interview in the afternoon hosted by the cruise director Leanne, who we have met before and we had a good long chat earlier in the cruise and we had quite a laugh as well with remembering the various happenings on our previous cruises.
For some reason I was very tired and later I had a long sleep and got up at 18.15 to have a shower for the evenings meal. Saw the Crew Entertaiment show which again was very good especially the last bit when entertainment officers do a sketch of ' if I was not upon the seas' which is hilarious. This was held in the Starlights which was absolutely jammed pack and really should have been in the main theatre. Think they had the cellist playing in the Footlights theatre.

So folks that's the end of my reports for this cruise until the next one which will be very soon, in fact we start another cruise on the 4 April sailing on Azura, have never been on her so it could be an interesting ride.

Ta Ta for now....

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oldbluefox
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Joined: January 2013
Location: Cumbria

Re: Melsea's belated short cruise adventures E304 Palma, Car

#2

Post by oldbluefox »

Thanks melsea for all your reports and for bringing back memories of some of the places we have visited over the years. We have never been to Cartagena though. Funny what you said about chocolate in Spain. We have often looked for a nice chocolate shop, really for little gifts to bring home with us but have yet to find one. It doesn't seem to be something they really go in for.
Looking forward now to your next cruise and your reports. :clap: :clap: :clap:

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