Mediterranean memories

Sunday 5th
We cruised into Cannes early in the morning.  As this is a tender port, we also heard the tender boats being prepared just on 6.00am. Cannes looks lovely first thing in the morning, but everyone has been commenting on the haze/smog all the way through the Med.  We don't recall it the last couple of times we were here. 

Thankfully we are doing the town on our own and didn't have to be up at some ridiculous hour.  Breakfast back in the MDR and by the time we'd finished the main pack had gone ashore, so we didn't have to line up for tickets, just go downstairs to the bowels of the ship.  By the time we got ashore, a large Celebrity ship also turned up (with about 4,000 passengers, so we were pleased to be ahead of the masses.

Took Le Petite Train around town and up to the castle, so we had an excellent overview, although didn't come across any celebrities, apart from the aforementioned ship!  After the train we thought we'd walk back to the market,/cafe area but we got lost. Not actually lost, but it turns out we were well away from our intended destination. It was very hot, well into the 30s and although the beach looked inviting (& the sand too) we kept to the shady side and patronised a small cafe with a lovely coffee, juice & biscuit for only €3.20 each.  Considering this was seaside and in Cannes, we thought it was good value. 

So just after midday we took the tender back to the ship.  Lunch was light and taken in the Horizon before the maddening crowd returned. One of the other problems with the Horizon is that it is like a glass house and in the middle of the day any air-conditioning they may have simply doesn't work.  Quiet afternoon updating the previous chapter of the blog and later a coffee at Crooners.  This bar area is on deck 7 in the Atrium area and there is a 3 piece band playing down on deck 5 ,so you get a pleasant sound wafting up, but not too loud. 

The team were all back for dinner, which was great, although Heather is still far from well.  She opted out of the Ukulele band performance, so just Mark & us for a change.  It has been quite a while since we got to bed at 11.00!

Monday 6th
Although the Cruise Director announced last night that we'd be in Barcelona port by 7.00, at 6.30 it was still quite foggy and land was in the distance.  As it turned out, we actually docked at 8.00, which was our original scheduled time.  Quite funny that we were the 2nd ship in this morning.  The Norwegian Epic has been #2 behind us pretty well all week, but they must have gone to a closer port yesterday to beat us.  A bit later a Costa ship also berthed.

We have nothing planned as of course we were here with Lynne & Ivan a couple of years ago and have pretty well seen all the main attractions.  Once again, we feel sorry for those who have not been here before as we only have a short stop, sailing at 4.00.  It doesn't give enough time for people to enjoy the region.  Princess (& undoubtedly other cruise lines) are more interested in saving money or increasing itinerary, without really thinking of what the passengers may actually want.  Having said that, I commented to Vivian this morning that people booking the cruise had plenty of time to consider the itinerary and timings (Sundays, & Fridays in Muslim countries) before they made final payment.

Wandered off the ship just after 9.00 and took the ship's shuttle ($20 return for both of us) to near the Christopher Columbus Monument at the bottom of Las Ramblas.  It was a very pleasant, slow walk all the way up.  We called in to the fresh food market, which was amazing, particularly the butchery shops.  The vegetables also looked superb.  Somehow we missed this last time we were here.

Vivian wanted to look at a couple of regular shops and I am pleased to report that we came away empty handed.  About halfway back down Las Ramblas, we stopped for a coffee.  Elected to have an iced coffee, which was less than average, however the bill came to just over €14 - ouch.

So our return visit to Barcelona was a short affair, but very relaxing & enjoyable.  Yes, Las Ramblas has a bad reputation, but there were plenty of police around and although it was quite crowded towards the end of the morning, pretty well all were tourists walking through and not loitering.  Well this is pretty well the end of the Mediterranean, as we set sail shortly for Lisbon, where we arrive on Wednesday and then just 2 sea days until Le Havre & then Southampton on Sunday.  Quite a number of passengers are getting off there, do we'll have as lot of new faces from then on (including our friends Maureen & Wyn).  Southampton also marks pretty much the halfway point of the cruise. We really can't believe where the time has gone.

An update to the above, we actually didn't sail until 6.00 as the refuelling process took all day.  Both the Norwegian & Costa ships were still in port, so I suspect that they are just doing Med cruises.  All present at dinner and as a surprise, our Head Waiter, Nelson, who is getting off in Lisbon had an off-menu Chicken Curry.  Even Vivian enjoyed it.  I have my cough back, so we skipped the show, as did the others.

Tuesday 7th
The clocks went back another hour overnight, so a relaxing start to the day. Did our mile walk, coffee and chat and as we approach the straits between Spain & Morocco, a lot of ships around, including at least one warship. The temperature today is far more pleasant at about 28 and lower humidity.