kelleygirl

November 7, 2019 Our ship sailed in towards Lisbon around 9am on the brackish River Tagus which meets the ocean at the lighthouse. I was surprised to learn that Lisbon is not on the ocean. Seeing things first hand is a constant history and geography lesson. As we entered the river we passed under their iconic 25th of April Bridge, a replica of our own iconic Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco. The bright red 25th of April Bridge is named for the celebration of the end of dictatorship and day of liberty (April 25, 1974). It is the longest suspension bridge in Europe. The Bridge has two levels, one for cars and the other for a train on the lower level. We were told there are frequent traffic jams. Unlike the bridge in San Francisco, ... read more

November 5 Our ship docked at 9am, with easy access to the recently restored Old Town of Malaga. Malaga, we are told, is the main city of coastal Andalucia, along the Costa del Sol, and, like many of the towns we have encountered, retains a distinctly Spanish flavor, with twisting, narrow streets and a lovely waterfront promenade. Tall palm and plane trees, bougainvillea, aloes, and geraniums all made for views that said ‘tropical paradise’ alongside the clean, modern port. Picasso said of his birthplace, “to be a Cubist you have to have been born in Málaga” although I don’t see the reference, I’ll take his word for it. Malaga was a popular winter holiday site for the 19th-century wealthy. We were told that today Malaga is where the rich and famous hang out, although none were ... read more

NOVEMBER 3, 2019 All good things must come to an end. It was finally time to say “goodbye Barcelona”. Goodbye to everything Gaudi, the Barri Gotic, Sobremeso (sit and relax, order some Pipas (sunflower seeds) with a nice glass of Rioja and watch the world go by). Farewell to my favorite Boquerones (White Anchovies cured in OVO & vinegar), and the amazing Crema Catalonia. Muchas Gracias! It was wonderful to walk in the footsteps of Fermin and Daniel (from The Shadow of the Wind) in the historic areas, including the wonderful Cathedral of the Sea, and to revisit this city, now transformed from its smokey and dirty caterpillar stage into the beautiful butterfly it is today, competing with Paris for Europe’s best city. Port Vell, with its harbor full of yachts and tourists, has become a ... read more

NOVEMBER 1, 2019 Today we were booked for our move out of our BCNGotic apartment to the Abba Sants Hotel which was included in our upcoming cruise to return home. I called the hotel and asked if we could check in late in the day, they assured me it was no problem. I then checked with BCNGotic who said if we collected our bags before we left for the day, they would store them in their office where we could retrieve them when we returned. So far so good. Having packed our bags, gobbled down food from the fridge and Teresa’s dessert for breakfast, we were off to the Palau de la Musica to meet our Viator guide Sergio for our Game of Thrones day tour to Girona. We knew the group would be small but ... read more

OCTOBER 30, 2019 Since we hadn’t bought coffee for our coffee maker we decided to go for an early morning walk before today’s tour to look for a nice cafe. Cafe Zurich must have been calling us. We sat outside at a little table near Plaza Catalonia watching the city come alive, feeling very European and tres chic all while enjoying great coffees and to die for pastries. A little Switzerland in Spain? You bet. It was later in the morning so we did not suffer the lines of the Coffee Rush. Our waiter brought our Trenza and Muffin Xocolata pastries and coffees to the table. Yes, it took a little time, but nothing to complain about, we were on vacation soaking up the atmosphere, the reason we came here! At 10am we met our van ... read more