Cadiz

Sunday 24^th November

I have been to Cadiz before, back in the days when I used to plan a bit more thoroughly. I had maps with all the points of interest marked. I did not see them all last time so I set off this time ready to go to every one of the 19 marked spots. Like most action plans, it didn’t last past the first encounter!

The sun was shining, the sky was blue, the sea was sparkling. Why would I want to walk through shady alleys and look at monuments and buildings? I chose to walk around the bay instead. Cadiz is built on a spit of land, so it is possible to walk around the sea walls, and then at the Cathedral area to cut through a narrow ‘neck’ and get back to the port area, rather than walking further inland.

The temperature was forecast to be 14 degrees, so I had worn a black woollen jacket. Out in the sun I thought I was overdressed. However, as soon as I walked in the shade I knew that it was needed! How lovely to bask in the sun instead of experiencing England’s snow.

At port security (before getting back on the ship) something must have  shown up on the screening machines as I was stopped and asked if there was a nail file in my handbag. Yes, there was. It was confiscated! It will be given to ship’s security just before the ship sails. I will have to collect it from the purser’s desk, where a member of security will bring a form for me to sign! I suppose I should be glad they were so focused on the nail file that they didn’t notice my first aid kit with the scissors and pointy tweezers! I am obviously a great security risk! (It’s strange that Cadiz objected but every other port has cleared my handbag with no problems. That happened to a friend on our first cruise; one port objected to his pocket knife though every other port had let him through.)

Later, when Vi and I went out for coffee in order to use free wifi, she lost her access card. That meant a visit to ship’s security for identification and then a visit to the purser’s desk for a new card.

Gibraltar

Monday 25^th November

Last time I visited Gibraltar I caught the cable car to the top of The Rock and walked down with a group of people from the ship. This time I thought I would try out the tax-free shopping. Everyone else seems to find bargains in foreign ports, not to mention lovely dresses that are different from anything else you would find at home. I never have that luck. The clothes shops we found were either parts of a UK chain or were very cheap with poor-quality fabric. Moreover, shopping with friends meant that we went more slowly than I can cope with. I can walk; I can dance; I cannot stand still and I cannot amble. I have a problem whereby the blood does not pump around my body properly when I stand still; I need to keep moving to stop it pooling in my feet. Shopping is therefore a nightmare! I felt nauseous and had a headache. In the end I had to leave my friends and set off by myself, striding out, to get back to normal. 

I did manage a few purchases. I bought a Swarovski Christmas star and four new Spanish fans. In the evenings on a cruise I need to fan myself between dances in order to cool down. I think I will have to aim for a different fan for each evening outfit, not to mention small fans for each handbag in order to cope with Australia’s heat on holiday. This is obviously what every aspiring fashionista needs!

Life on board ship

Tuesday 26^th November

You might wonder what I find to do on the ship all day, especially on a cruise like my last one that had about 12 sea days. I thought I’d go through the daily programme for today and write a summary of all the events on offer at various times during the day. I’ll group them as themes rather than in their time slots. (Of course, some could go in two themes, but I’ll put them in just one.) The programme begins with a morning TV show at 6am, but the events themselves start at 7am and go for over 18 hours. (The last event starts at 1am and is billed as going ‘until late’.)

Fitness

            Morning stretch

            Fab abs

            Yoga

            Tour de cycle

            Body sculpt boot camp

            Pilates

Spa

            Skin care clinic

            Acupuncture pain management

            Secrets to a flatter stomach

            Magic make up party

            FDA approved wrinkle treatment

            Fluid retention and swollen ankles

            Healing with herbs

            Look 10 years younger today

            Leg therapy demonstration

Learning and information

            iStudy seminar: using your iPad

            iStudy next steps workshop: using iPhoto

            iStudy next steps: iMovie

            iStudy seminar: using your iPad; office tools

            Beginners’ bridge class

            Intermediate bridge class

            Duplicate bridge play

            Social whist play

            Watercolour art class

            Virtual bridge tour

            Photo seminar

            Captains’ corner

            Art talk: Sherree Valentine Daines

            Cunard insights: the story of Danielle Cable

            Meet the singers: interviewing the onboard singers

            Classical concert: saxophone and piano

            premium vodka tasting seminar

           

Dancing

            Line dance class

            Ballroom dance class

            Ballroom and latin dancing to prerecorded music

            Royal Ascot Ball

Entertainment and competitions

            Morning trivia

            Afternoon trivia

            Early evening wipeout trivia

            Bingo ticket sales

            Guest talent show sign up

            Skittles tournament

            Darts competition

            Quiz corner

            Paddle tennis competition

            Deck quoits competition

            golf putting tournament

            Shuffleboard competition

            Snowball jackpot bingo

            Activity corner: hat making (for Royal Ascot Ball)

            Host corner: needlework and knitting

            Showtime: Dance passion (put on twice)

Music and singing

            Queen Victoria vocalists (choir of interested passengers)

            Pianist in the Chart room

            Synergy (modern band) (3 sessions)

            Pianist Ferry P. Bedy (2 sessions)

            Pianist Gavin Burke (2 sessions)

            Cocktail pianist Clarolyn Maier

            Adagio string quartet (3 sessions)

            Harpist Lara Szabo (2 sessions)

            Abba revival night

            Karaoke night

            DJ Chris

Special groups

            Masonic gathering

            Cruise critic.co.uk get together

            Friends of Bill W (= recovering alcoholics)

            Book club meeting

            Friends of Dorothy (= gay meeting)

In addition to this there are special events that don’t make it into the daily programme. For example, because I am now a Platinum card holder (= more than 70 days on Cunard ships) I could have attended a free wine tasting event and could go to the Captain’s and Senior Officers’ cocktail party in the evening. (I went to both last time; I don’t need to go again.)

If you are still bored with all of this, you could sunbathe, swim or sit in a hot tub; you could play table tennis, golf chipping, shuffleboard or quoits; you could visit the spa (nails, hair, massage) or the gym; you could go to the casino; you could shop for expensive jewellery or for daily specials; you could sit in the pub or a bar; you could visit the library.

After reading all of this, you must think I waste my opportunities at sea!

La Coruna

Wednesday 27^th November

This is the first time that Queen Victoria has visited La Coruna. Vigo is the normal port of call. I cynically suspect that La Coruna is a cheaper mooring port and that is why we are trying it. It is also within easy access to Santiago de Compostela, which is the main drawing card for Vigo. Having visited Santiago recently (in the pouring rain) I felt no need to return.

My friends decided to hit the shops at 10am but I needed to sleep in. I left after midday (seeing we had the full day in port) and wandered the town. I decided not to follow a map but just to see where the streets led me. I only stayed out for a couple of hours but that was enough.

One feature of La Coruna that I had read about was its glazed window balconies, called galerias, designed for rainy days. I read that it was a naval architecture solution to the challenging weather: use the shape of the back of a war ship in a modern building. The gallerias were smaller than I had expected. There must have been enough room for a chair or two, but it did not look like it from the street.

Home again, home again

Friday 29th November
Disembarkation was relatively easy. I had chosen to self-disembark, which means I drag my own suitcase but I can get off when I like. I arrived at the gangway shortly after 8:30 to find a long line of people. I waited patiently in line, though later I was told by another passenger that I could have gone through a separate line at the exit because of the self-disembarkation. I will check that next time.

I shared a taxi with one of the gentlemen with whom I had shared a taxi on the way to the ship! I got to Reading Station with a couple of minutes to spare before my 9:15 train. The trip to Reading went very well, talking to interesting people for the whole journey. Then came a short wait and the slow train home.

I was inside my front door shortly after 11am!