OUR WINTER CRUISE: VENICE and the start.

VENICE

Monday 29 October

Margaret drove us to Bristol airport for our flight to Venice. Ewan was in his seat in the back of the car with Moira and asleep before we reached Bristol. There was the usual panic on my part about the size of my bag and whether it was all right as hand luggage. In the end they didn't bother with mine but checked the size of Moira's case. Luckily it was satisfactory, but we had trouble at security; I had a tube of adhesive and some sticking paste that they wouldn't allow and confiscated them. Security is getting crazy at airports, we had to take off our boots to go through the checkpoint, eventually they will have us stripping off completely and issue us with hospital type gowns.

The flight took two hours and we had some wonderful views crossing  the Alps. The airport where we arrived was Treviso and there was a bus waiting for the hour's drive into Venice. We had directions guiding us from the bus terminal in Venice to the flat we had rented, it was a ten minute walk, but it was a struggle with our heavy rucksacks and hand luggage. We had phoned the woman when we came off the bus and she arrived at the flat a few minutes after we got there and let us in. It was quite nice with two separate rooms with a communal kitchen and bathroom. We were the only occupants so it was nice and quiet. 

Heading along the canal to our flat

We had to go with the woman to find a cash machine to pay for the flat. Once that transaction was completed we went into a restaurant next to the bank and enjoyed a lovely pizza and some delicious red wine. It wasn't far to walk along the canals to the flat and we were soon in bed. The area was also away from the tourist attractions, so it was also quiet and we both slept well.

Tuesday 30 October

It was peaceful all night and we were feeling refreshed in the morning as we walked along one of the canals to find a shop for bread, milk, etc for breakfast. It was chilly but the sky was bright blue, promising to be a lovely day. After breakfast we set out again, to explore the city. First we went to the train station to enquire about transport to the docks for our cruise on Thursday. It must have now been high tide as the water was lapping over the canal banks and on to the walkway. We had seen photographs of severe flooding here a few weeks ago, this wasn't too bad and we just had to 'puddle hop' in places. After long waits in queues at the railway info office then at the general tourist info we found that we used the monorail system that services the docks. The 'people mover' as it is called was near the bus station where we arrived yesterday. We found the monorail station, it is only one stop to the cruise terminal, and costs just E1 each.

High water on the canals

It was now time to have a look around Venice. We had bought a street map and began following a route to the famous Rialto bridge that crosses the Grand Canal. Soon we picked up signs pointing the direction to the Rialto which was fortunate as the map was difficult to follow as some of the street names didn't correspond with the names on the map, or maybe it was our poor Italian. It was a nice stroll along the banks of various canals with all types of craft, from gondolas to speed boats. The canals themselves varied from wide, like the Grand Canal, to very narrow with little bridges to cross them. 

The Rialto bridge

Once we were over the Rialto bridge we managed to use the map as a guide to get us back to the flat for lunch. We had found a large supermarket on our way back and bought enough food for lunch and dinner. After a lunch of Gorgonzola cheese on rolls it was off again to do more exploring. We made our way along more canals to the coast and walked by the front where the water buses were arriving with crowds of tourists. From there we followed more canals and the map to Piazza San Marco. This was also thick with tourists and the Basilica was magnificent with its carved towers, statues and mosaics. It was now getting late and we decided to head back and visit the Basilica again tomorrow.

San Marco

Once at the flat we had dinner and off to bed early. The bed was the only comfortable place to stretch out and read. It was a lot warmer tonight, Moira had managed to find the thermostat for the central heating.

Wednesday 31 October

Canal water bus.

Yesterday we bought a 12 hour roaming ticket for the water buses. It just required to be validated for our first trip and it was 12 hours from that time. We started off after breakfast and caught the 'bus' at the nearest point from the flat, Tri Archi, we didn't know where it was going ; it was to be a mystery tour.

The open sea off Venice

The boat reversed out of the canal and into more open water, close to where we walked yesterday. It sailed past the marina with lots of brightly coloured sails on the yachts and out to our left was the Isola di San Michele with its castle like structure of towers and battlements all along the front. The water was quite choppy, the weather was not as nice as yesterday, now overcast, cold and windy. The route continued over open water as it made way round Arsenale with its docks and ship repairs and out to the Lido. This was where we camped when we were in Venice years ago with the girls. There we decided to disembark to have a look around.

We didn't really recognise the area and made our way across the peninsula to the sandy beach on the opposite side. This wasn't familiar either and looked cold, deserted and miserable compared with previously when it was packed with sun seekers in much brighter and warmer conditions. We strolled along the beach before heading back to the water bus station.

Sharing lunch

We wanted to make for San Marco but the bus we were on seemed to be an 'express' and although it went past the Basilica it didn't stop. It turned into the Grand Canal and up under the Rialto bridge to the Ferrovia, the railway station. There we went in search of a loo. Venice seems to be short of these facilities and when you do find one they are expensive. The one in the railway station cost E1, not as bad as the loo near San Marco which was E1.5.

It was now nearly lunch time and we looked for somewhere to sit and have our picnic. As we searched it started to rain so we quickly headed back to the Ferrovia and jumped on the first boat leaving. It was going back down the Grand Canal again but this one took a more leisurely pace, stopping at every station on the way. It was crowded and we were stood near the front just outside the 'driver's' cabin. I was able to take lots of photographs standing close to the rail. The rain was quite heavy now but still there were lots of people out in the gondolas, huddled under large umbrellas. It was still pouring down when we reached San Marco, the piazza was flooded and there were wooden walkways built up to avoid the water. At the columned archway we found a seat where we had lunch. This attracted a multitude of hungry pigeons that wanted to share our sandwiches.

A gondola in the rain

To enter the Basilica we had to use the walkway that went round the square while other people in Wellington boots splashed merrily through the floods. The Basilica was disappointing, the practice seems to be to keep the interior in subdued lighting. This makes it difficult to see the detail in some of the features, especially the paintings of religious and biblical scenes portrayed on the walls and on the insides of the domes.

When we left San Marco it was on another water bus going back along the Grand Canal. We left the bus a couple of stations after the Rialto and walked back to the flat. We had some coffee and a biscuit and planned to go out again but the rain was still coming down. Moira went out to the supermarket for something for dinner. The rain was still heavy when she returned so we decided to called it a day and stay in.

Flooded San Marco

Another couple arrived tonight and waited for the owners to arrive with keys for the second room in the flat. The guy when he turned up told us to be careful if we go out tonight as the tide would be high and the canal banks flooded to perhaps a metre. That settled it we were certainly staying in, hoping the water level would subside by morning for our walked to the 'people mover'.

 MORE VIEWS OF VENICE

OUR WINTER CRUISE: DAY 1

 Venice and off to sea

Thursday 1 November

. I was having a shower and found the route down to the canal flooded, calf deep. We decided to get away sharpish after breakfast as the tide would be still rising. The plan was to get to the Tri Archi station and catch a water bus to the Ferrovia. We wore only sandals on our feet and rolled up our trousers to the knee and waded through the floods to the station. Unfortunately the water buses weren't operating in our direction because of the height of the water causing problems of clearance and difficulties in getting under the bridges. There was no alternative but to walk along the canal bank, now knee deep in places, luckily it wasn't too cold. The main fear we had was falling and getting rucksacks and bags soaked, but we managed and eventually reached 'dry land' at the train station.

People Mover, mono-rail

When we reached  the bus terminus and 'people mover' we had a break and stopped at a snack bar. Well, snack bar was what the sign outside said, but the prices they were charging they must have thought it was the Ritz. It cost E10 for two little cups of coffee. Later we met a South African couple who had also been caught, their bill was E16 for two ice creams. At least we were able to have a seat and rest, also to dry our feet and put on fresh socks and shoes.

The 'people mover' only took a couple of minutes to reached the stop where we alighted, then it was a five minute walk to the cruise terminal. The ship was the MSC Opera and it towered above the dock just outside the check-in building. We had about two hours to wait until it was our time to go through passport checks and be issued with our cabin keys. There was then security and x-ray machines to pass through before boarding the vessel.

Moira and the MSC Opera

Moira's rucksack was at the cabin door when we arrived but mine wasn't. We went for a stroll about the ship, found the pool area, the gym, and finally the buffet. Lots of people were already there having lunch and we joined them and prepared a big salad for ourselves from the well stock salad bar. My rucksack still hadn't turned up when we went back to the cabin and I was beginning to panic, something I now seem to be doing a lot, when things go wrong and not according to plan. Eventually Moira tracked down the missing luggage so I was able to calm down and relax.

Life boat drill

We had the life jacket drill before the ship sailed at 6pm, two hours late but they assured us that the captain would easily make up the time and we wouldn't be late arriving at our first port of call, Valletta, the capital of Malta. It was a beautiful start to the cruise as the ship pulled out of the harbour and made its way along the coast passing the opening into the Grand Canal then in front of the San Marco Piazzo with the Basilica and tower floodlit. Once clear of the city we headed for the buffet and had dinner.

Before retiring for the night we wandered through the bars stopping to listen to the entertainers. The first had a very good piano player but was soon replaced by a woman who was also a good pianist but couldn't sing. In the next bar there was a couple singing mainly country music. They were good but when they finished the next guy on was a poor singer, we headed for our cabin.

San Marco : the view from the ship leaving Venice

We were able to tune into BBC World News on the TV, so can keep in touch with what's happening in the outside world. After our update of current affairs we read for a while before getting to sleep. The conditions at sea were perfectly calm, no rocking and rolling, there was just the hum of the engines to lull us into a good night's sleep.

OUR WINTER CRUISE: DAYS 2 and 3

At Sea 

Friday 2 November

When I wakened I went up to the buffet and filled our insulated mugs wth coffee and we had them in bed while we read for an hour. After breakfast we lay on loungers on the pool deck. It was a beautiful day but the cloudless sky was spoiled by a cold breeze that kept us covered up, so no sunbathing yet.

The walking/jogging track above the pool deck

I went to the gym mid- morning while Moira exercised by walking round the jogging circuit above the pool deck. The gym was fairly well stocked with treadmills, cycles, exercise machines and free weights. All the equipment was in excellent conditions and it was quite busy, there seems to be a lot of people keeping fit on this cruise. I cycled for ten minutes then did some upper body exercises before going to find Moira.

She had found a nice spot above the pool area that was sheltered from the chilly breeze. We sat there and read for most of the morning. Below at the pool the cruise staff were organising silly games, followed by line dancing instruction and finally bingo.

For lunch we made ourselves another lovely salad from the various choices of vegetables and meats on offer. From the buffet we went to the theatre where a guy was giving a talk on the history and delights of Malta where we will spend the day tomorrow. The next hour was spent relaxing and reading then once my lunch was digested I had another session in the gym. This time I had 15 minutes on the treadmill and more work on my upper body. The sun set at 4:30 and I had a wonderful view of it dropping below the horizon from the gym which is at the bow of the ship with a semi-circle of windows that gives a wonderful panorama as you jog on the treadmill.

After dinner in the buffet we sat in the bar and listened to the couple singing that we enjoyed last night. In the restaurant it was a 'Gala' evening, meaning people dressed in their finest. They were wandering about in dinner suits, tuxedos and the woman in long dresses. We don't bother with this sort of thing and are happy just having our meals in the informal buffet.

We went to the theatre again which was packed. Before the variety show the compere presented all the heads of departments for the cruise and we were all to dutifully applaud. We didn't, the cruise costs enough and there is a compulsory charge to cover tips, that's enough without giving them a clap at the beginning before they have even done anything. The show once it eventually started wasn't very good and we didn't stay long, preferring to return to our cabin and read before turning in.


Valletta, Malta

Saturday 3 November

We both got up at 6am this morning and went up to the 'track' above the pool deck for some exercise. I ran round the 200m circuit while Moira walked. I say Moira walked but she has begun to try running and she jogged down one of the straights where she had the benefit of the breeze behind her. We carried on round and round for 30 minutes. The weather was nice, warmer than yesterday and another cloudless sky. We were also able to watch the sun come up, like a great ball of fire appearing on the horizon.

Entering Valletti, Malta

Tying up Valletti

 After showering and breakfast we were up on deck again to watch the ship approaching Malta and entering the cruise terminal at Valletta. The deck was crowded with eager spectators taking photographs of the city built on a hill with strong walls and battlements that had defied invaders through the centuries. The houses looked Spanish in style probably the Moorish influence, all painted a cream colour and flat roofed. 

Horse and carriage for sightseeing

At breakfast Moira had made cheese sandwiches while I filled a flask with coffee at the machine. With our lunch in the daypack we were all ready for sightseeing on Malta. After watching as the ship was carefully manoeuvred to the quay side and tied up, we went ashore heading towards the city centre by 10am, half an hour earlier than scheduled. On the way we picked up a brochure for Arriva buses that also operate in the UK. They had a day ticket to use all over Malta for E2.60. This was much cheaper than the city hopper tourist buses that were lined up waiting for people coming off the liner, their price was E15 or there were horse and carriages also eager for business but also much more expensive. As we climbed the hill to the city centre we came to bus station and decided to take advantage of the Arriva deal and use the bus to see some of the island then have a look at Valletta when we returned in the afternoon.

Bugibba Bay

There was a bus heading for a resort, Bugibba Bay, about an hour from Valletta, which we jumped on after purchasing the day ticket.  The route took us into towards the centre of the island to the town of Mosta before heading back out for the coast. It was a tortuous journey through very narrow streets jammed solid in places with traffic. It was interesting and we were able to see how and where the Maltese people lived away from the tourist places. The buildings were still the flat roofed Spanish style but there were some magnificent old forts and church's with tall steeples and bell towers. When we reached Bugibba Bay it was a typical holiday resort with plenty of hotels, apartments and restaurants. We left the bus at the terminus and had a walk along the sea front.

Add captionA refreshing beer

 The shore was fairly rocky with little patches of sand in coves. There was a few people in swimming and we saw a couple floating about on the surface with snorkels. Lots of English tourists seemed attracted to the place, and the newsagents had a supply of all the English papers while the pubs were advertising the day's major games on the Premier league via satellite. We stopped at a bar and had a beer, the weather was now very hot and we needed a cooling drink. The price of the beer was reasonable E1.50, compared with E5 for the same drink on board the ship.  We continued our stroll and later found a bench on the water's side to sit and have lunch. There was a beautiful view across the bay with sandstone cliffs towering above the far coast.

On our way back to the bus terminus we stopped at a MacDonald's and bought an ice cream, primarily to make use of their free Wi-fi. I managed to get most of my blog posted but it doesn't work too well using the iPad, I will have to find an Internet cafe on our next port of call and work on it there. Moira tried to download her 'Good Housekeeping' magazine but it was very slow and gave up when she only had 20%. When we reached the terminus we found a different bus going to Valletta, this one sticking to a more coastal route. It was a long 'bendy' bus so we assumed that there wouldn't be any narrow busy streets for it to negotiate.

It was a much more scenic route and we had great views all along the coast. We went through places with names like Pembroke, St George's Bay, Paceville, St Julian's etc very English sounding. It was still very touristy with plenty of hotels all the way. The bays and large coves were full of yachts and pleasure launches, some very big and expensive looking. It took much the same time to return to Valletta on this route, just over an hour.

St Paulista church

The bus station we arrived at looked different to the one we left earlier in the morning. It took us a while and a lot of wandering about to re-orientate ourselves and find the cruise terminal. This we saw from the top of the hill and the ship was still there not having left without us. We were able to relax now we knew where we were and had a walk around. There was a lovely old church, St Paulista in some nice gardens but it was closed and we couldn't see inside. The place was full of war memorials and exhibitions and displays on the defence the island put up against continuous air attacks by the Germans in the last war. There were some fascinating narrow streets with balconies at all the window rising many stories above. Unfortunately we were soon out of time and we had to make it back to the ship. We just had time at the waterfront to have a glass of wine at a much lower price than on board.

A narrow street in Valletta

One final thing about Malta and a big plus was the loos. There were lots of them in Valletta and Bugibba Bay. Some were just porta-loos but that was better than nothing, and they were all clean and free. Compare that with Venice where when you did manage to find one it cost a small fortune. In the period of Jane Austin's novels young ladies couldn't venture to far from home because there were no toilet facilities. We are returning to that situation in some supposedly first world countries.

Back on board we settled down in the lounge with a cup of coffee beside one of the big windows and watched as we sailed away from Valletta. It was now dark and all we could see were the lights all along the coast that we had earlier travelled by bus. Once clear of Malta we had our meal in he buffet, listened to some music in the various bars before getting off to bed.

Valletta's old fortifications

OUR WINTER CRUISE: DAYS 4 and 5

At Sea

Sunday 4 November

Today we were at sea all day. It was an early rise again to go to the jogging deck for fresh air and our exercise. We did half an hour again with Moira still attempting to run, at least down one of the straight lengths. After showering it was breakfast in the buffet before spending most of the morning on the pool deck reading. It was a glorious day, blue sky and warm. There were crowds around the pool area with an aerobics class, then games followed by bingo. When the bingo started I had had enough and made for the gym. Moira also gave up with the noise of bingo numbers being called and went in search of quieter surroundings.

I had an hour's session with the weights then went looking for Moira. She had found a place at the end of each deck at the stern of the ship with loungers and plenty of sun and sheltered from the breeze. 

Also these areas weren't crowded. We lay there and relaxed until it was time to go for lunch. We returned after our meal and lay there until it cooled down. Then we found the disco up on the top deck. The music doesn't start there until late at night and during the day it is quiet and practically deserted. The seats and couches are very comfortable and we spent the rest of the afternoon there.

In the evening before dinner we went to a show in the theatre. It was loosely based on Italian popular music. It wasn't bad, there was one good singer but the others and the dancers were second rate. It only lasted 40 minutes and it was continuous, there weren't any breaks for announcers to tell us what was next and at the same time try to be a comedian.

I had pizza and chips from the buffet tonight. It wasn't very good it was all cold. Fortunately I wasn't very hungry having had a big lunch. We don't feel the food on this cruise is as good as on the one we took to the Norwegian fjords last year.

There was some music in the bars after dinner before we headed for the cabin and bed.

 Palma, Mallorca.

Monday 5 November

Today we were tying up at the port of Palma on the largest of the Balleiric Island, Mallorca. We were allowed ashore from 8am so that gave us time to have our exercising round the jogging track, shower, have breakfast and be ready to see Palma. We filled the flask with coffee and made sandwiches for lunch while at breakfast, we were all prepared.

It was dark this morning while we circled the track and could just see the lights of the island in the distance. The wind was a bit stronger and there was a touch of rain in the air. The ship was at the terminal when we finished breakfast and it was now light outside, the clear blue sky promised a lovely day.

The Marina

From the cruise terminal we followed the signs to the city centre and walked in that direction along a prom. There was a section for cyclists and also lots of runners and joggers making the most of the nice flat profile of the esplanade. On the waterside of the route there was a marina that went on and on, there were thousands of craft from small sailing dinghies to large yachts and luxury ocean cruisers. An office on the marina had photographs of vessels for sale, the minimum price seemed to be two million Euro.

As we got closer to the centre of Palma there was the old city walls and surprisingly a number of the old fashioned type of windmill. Also on the hill above the coast was the cathedral, it was very impressive and the design of the towers and steeples put me in mind of the architecture Gaudi, famous for the still unfinished cathedral in Barcelona. Instead of going into the town we continued along the prom. The marina had eventually finished after about an hour of walking and then gave way to sections of sandy beach. The beach wasn't particularly inviting and nobody was swimming though a few had ventured in surfing, the waves were of a reasonable size.

Old fashioned windmill

 We kept walking along the coast for another hour and there were more marinas, much smaller now but still with expensive looking boats. It showed us how the other half live. When people throughout Europe are suffering under the recession and austerity measures there are some who are apparently untouched by it all. Before turning back we had a rest on a bench and a cup of coffee from our flask.

We cut up from the front and into the old town with its narrow streets and winding lanes. It was difficult to see where we were going we couldn't even see the high spires of the cathedral. Fortunately all the main tourist attractions were well signposted and we found our way to the cathedral. It was E6 each to get in but it was money well spent. On our visit to the cathedral at Leon in north Spain we thought that the stained glass windows there were extraordinary but are nothing compared with the ones here. They were truly outstanding and magnificent. Above the altar were three large rose windows, the glass was modern in design with lots of small sections of different colours. The sun light coming through projected all these colours of the rainbow on to the walls and organ pipes. Also there were many windows with typical religious themes all down the sides of the church from head height up to the roof. There wasn't much in the way of statues but as usual with Spanish churches the many side chapels were a mass of sparkling gold. On the way out which led through the cloisters there was the tourist shop where we looked at the books. Many were on the works of Gaudi, it appeared that he did have an influence not on the original design but on the restoration of this cathedral in the late 19th century.

Cathedral

When we left the cathedral we headed for the town and in the large central square looked for a restaurant to have a drink. There were lots of them round the edges of the square with the seats and tables all outside. When we stopped to examine a menu we were immediately hassled by the waiter which is off-putting and we moved from one to one. When we eventually found oneand now it was the opposite having to sit for some time before being presented with the menu. The wine, Rioja, that we drink when walking the Camino and is given away practically free with a meal, was E15 a bottle here. We decided not to bother and found a supermarket where we bought a litre of the same wine for E0.69.

On our wanderings around the city centre we discovered the tourist info and managed to get a local map. This guided us down a long busy  road lined with large shops all the way to where we had left the coast to visit the cathedral. There we found a bench in a park below the old city walls to have lunch. We ignored our coffee and had the supermarket wine with our sandwiches for a change. While eating we examined the map and found there was an old castle on the hill above the terminal where the ship was moored. We decided to head back in that directions and make a detour to the castle.

Castell de Bellver

The map was good and we managed to navigate our way through the myriad of narrow back streets to the park where the castle stood. It was a winding steep road to the to top of the hill and as we approached the summit I though it was a cooling tower on top, it was actually the main keep of the Castell de Bellver. The castle didn't look that old or maybe it had been refurbished and the walls cleaned. We didn't go in as we were running short of time, but just admired the view of the marina and harbour with the MSC Opera waiting for us. We made our way down again, this time on a footpath and came out near the terminal. We decided to have another drink of our wine before boarding, they don't like you to bring wine etc back on board and it may be confiscated. But there was no problem with what was left when we went through security, leaving us wishing we had bought more. 

Accompaning Tall Ship

We sat in the lounge on the top of the ship and watched as we pulled away from Palma. There was a large modern type 'tall ship' with three masts and plenty of sails but also an engine that left before us, but was soon overtaken. The route passing the island was along the coast in the opposite direction from the way we had walked, but soon it was open water again. 

Before dinner there was a night at the opera in the theatre. It was arias from some popular operas and was an enjoyable half hour. We had another pleasant hour in one of the bars listening to music after our meal. Then it was off to bed.


THE PALMA CATHEDRAL'S STAIN-GLASSED WNDOWS AND REFLECTIONS

OUR WINTER CRUISE: DAYS 6, 7 and 8

At Sea

Tuesday 6 November

It was a day at sea today and the weather wasn't very nice. We managed to get our rounds of the track circuit while it was still dry but later it became windy, cold and wet. I didn't quite manage all my laps of the track running, after 15 minutes a pain developed in my right calf muscle and I completed the remainder of my half hour walking with Moira. I took an anti-inflammatory for the injury but it looks like rest will be the best course of action.

My calf muscle pain didn't prevent me going to the gym and working my upper body. I had two short sessions and Moira came along again in the afternoon. While in the gym, which is at the bow of the ship, we could see the huge waves that the ship was ploughing through but it must have good stabilisers as we didn't feel any disturbance to our equilibrium. 

The rest of our time was spent in the disco lounge at the top reading and relaxing when we weren't in the buffet eating. The lounge was crowded today because of the weather and we met a few people from South Africa that were either returning home after a holiday in Europe or had flown out to Venice especially for the cruise back. One couple had been doing this trip with MSC for about 12 years and were getting 'frequent flyers' type discounts. They had one of the luxury suites on top for not much more than we were paying for an inside cabin.

Before dinner we went to the show in the theatre. It was a magician, who wasn't bad, he had a couple of men from the audience and spent most of the act picking their pockets. They had supposedly been chosen at random but I think they were part of the act. They said he was a star attraction for one night only, so he must have boarded at Palma yesterday and will depart tomorrow at Casablanca.

After the show they said we would be passing through the Straits of Gibraltar. We went out to the ship's rail to have a look but there wasn't much to see other than the lights on shore as it was now well after sunset. It was narrow as the lights were clearly visible from the tips of Europe and north Africa. The disappointment was that we hadn't been scheduled to sail through during the day, we would have liked to have seen the narrow straits and the Rock of Gibraltar from the sea.

It was the usual evening after dinner, an hour or so in the bar listening to the music then off to bed to read for an hour before dropping off to sleep.


Casablanca, Morocco

Wednesday 7 November 

We had a rest today from circling the jogging track but made up for it by walking round Casablanca for about 7 hours. My calf muscle was feeling much better and gave me no trouble on our tour of the Moroccan city.

We were docked and allowed ashore at 8am after having breakfast. Most people were going on the bus tours and excursions organised by the cruise, we intended doing our own thing and walking. It was long walk from the ship to the dock gate, took nearly half an hour and we had to run a gauntlet of taxis trying to pick up fares into the city and for their tours. Although they all spoke English the meaning of the word 'no' seems to have escaped them and it was quite a hassle before we cleared the line of them.

Hassan II Mosque

 When we exited the dock gate the signposting was good and we followed the direction indicated to the Hassan II Mosque. It was 2.5 km and we could see the tall minaret in the distance, it is the highest in the world at 200 metres, so it was easy to follow. It had been warm with plenty of blue sky when we started but as we approached the mosque there as a short shower of rain. It continued like that all day with blue skies one moment then clouds and a splattering of rain the next.

 VIEWS INSIDE THE MOSQUE

The mosque was magnificent and the next largest after Mecca and Medina. It was fairly recently built, in the 1980's, took six years in the construction and designed by a French architect. The mosque is partly erected on the waters of the Atlantic to adhere to the Koranic reference 'The Throne of God was on water'. It was E12 to visit and our shoes had to come off before entering and Moira had also brought a scarf to cover her head. A lot of the tour buses had arrived at the same time and they were being guided round in parties. We started to wander about snapping away with the camera. A guy came up to us and said that we weren't allowed to go around unattended and put us with another four English speaking tourists and acted as our guide. The inside of the mosque was enormous and during Ramadan can accommodate over 25,000 worshipers with another 100,000 outside with the prayers being transmitted through numerous loudspeakers. Two hanging mezzanines on either side of the prayer hall were reserved for the women. The guide had all the dimensions, weights, materials of construction etc that he rhymed off and we immediately forgot. Whatever the statistics it was a tremendous undertaking and the results were breathtaking. It didn't have the ornamentation, statues or coloured windows of the Christian church's but the size and some carvings on the many marble columns made it a masterpiece.  The wooden carved roof high above was moveable and could be opened and closed in 5 minutes depending on the weather, much faster than the one at Wimbledon. The huge multi ton gates into the mosque were also electronically operated and when opened were raised and hidden in a slot in the stonework. From the main prayer hall we were allowed to put our footwear on again and were guided downstairs to the area where the pilgrims ceremonially wash, according to instructions from the Koran, prior to prayers in the mosque. There were hundreds of water taps and 41 fountains and a large pool used by the Turkish Moslems in the ablutions hall known as 'hammams'.

The Mosque piazza towards Casablanca centre

When the visit was over we asked our guide for directions to the Christian cathedral. He found a large tourist map for us which became an essential. I had picked up, at the reception desk on board the ship, a small map that we took to be of the city centre, . It was useless as it turned out to be a map of Tangiers centre. This proper map gave pictures of the highlights in the city and after the mosque we took a street they led straight from the coast into the centre.

Eglise Sacre Coeur

 We had a stop in a park for a cup of coffee from our flask then we found the next place of interest, Eglise Sacre Coeur - Church of the Sacred Heart. It was white with many carved spires. The map said it was built in 1930 and was a former Catholic shrine. I don't know what it is now but there were two characters at the entrance who looked like bouncers and they told us that it was private and we couldn't go in. We left and hoped for better luck at the Eglise Notre Dame de Lourdes, a modern cathedral constructed in 1956. We followed the directions on the map and in the busy city centre couldn't see anything resembling an important church. Where it was supposed to be was a concrete structure that looked more like a huge warehouse but there was a cross on top so we went for a closer look.

 THE WINDOWS OF EGLISE NOTRE DAME de LOURDES

It was the cathedral and the guy at the gate this time welcomed us and told us to carry on in. What a wonderful surprise after the plain outward appearance. Inside was just a mass of windows, all in coloured glass. The write up on the map said there was 800 sq metres of windows. We were so amazed that we sat down on a pew to gaze in awe at the beauty of it. Down both sides and the length of the church there were enormous mosaics of religious and biblical significance. Above these and all the way to the roof were narrow windows in multi coloured sections of tiny glass. One coach tour arrived while we sat and had a quick walk round before getting shipped off somewhere else. The map told us that it doesn't get many visitors, this was very surprising as it is a unique exhibition of modern stain glass artistry. 

On leaving the church we found a lovely park in the city centre with a Scottish sounding name, Parc Murdoch, where we found a bench among the trees to sit and have our packed lunch. From there we made our way through the centre to a large square with lots of tame pigeons looking for crumbs, Place Mohamed V. Continuing we eventually reached the central market with its stalls of fruit and vegetables as well as seafood with oysters, crab, lobsters and prawns fresh from the ocean. There was a bar there with the sign 'Rick's Cafe' from the film Casablanca, it was worth a photograph.

Rick's Cafe, Casablanca

By this time we had been on our feet for hours and were extremely tired. Although the ship didn't sail for another few hours we decided to head back, we had seen all the main highlights anyway. We had to make what we thought was a detour to get across the railway line but when we did eventually reach the seaside it was at the dock gates and we just had the long walk from there to where the Opera was moored.

We sat in the lounge when we boarded and had a coffee and waited until the ship was out to sea again before going to dinner. There wasn't a show on in the theatre tonight because of the late departure so we had an early dinner. Afterwards we listened to some music in the bar before getting off to bed, also early.



Agadir, Morocco

Thursday 8 November

It was another call at a port today. We were still in Morocco but further down the Atlantic coast at the city of Agadir. The Opera wasn't arriving there until mid-day so we spent the morning relaxing in the disco lounge. We hadn't done any exercising this morning, being still very tired after all our walking in Casablanca yesterday. The ship wasn't far from the shore all morning and we could see the foothills of the Atlas Mountains all along the coast. Earlier it had been a bit overcast but as we approached our stop it brightened up and was very warm. Before going ashore we had lunch on the patio, pizza and chips. They had both been freshly cooked and were piping hot for a change.

From the ship it looked like quite a distance to the city and we didn't fancy a long slog through the streets again today. We decide to take one of the taxi tours that were advertised on a board at the dock. It was E50 for a trip to see the sights of Agadir. The first taxi driver to approach us was wearing a Glasgow Celtic shirt, he told me that Celtic had won 2-1 last night against Barcelona in the Champions League. That was enough to get him the business and we hopped into his cab.

Agadir Mosque

Before leaving he pointed out the hill above the city and informed us that Agadir was originally situated there but was twice destroyed by earthquakes, one in 1731 and more recently in 1960. What is now the city is all relatively new and has been rebuilt along the coastal strip, the original site on the hill is now bare. The trip out of the dock area was a long way and we were glad not to have walked. We passed docks with hundreds of fishing vessels and the fish market sheds and ship repair yards before eventually reaching the dock gates.

From the docks he took us to the beach area, we didn't actually see the sand and sea but from the number of large hotels it seemed to be a popular holiday resort. Next we passed a large wooded region that the driver said housed the King's palace, but we couldn't see anything for the trees. It was a long drive to the city centre but the roads were fairly wide and although the traffic was heavy it wasn't the chaos that we have experienced in cities like Cairo and Dehli. Our first stop was at the mosque, it looked from the outside of much the same design as the one in Casablanca but much smaller. We had a walk round outside but didn't bother about going in. 

The driver asked if we had seen 'Arnam oil' in Casablanca, we told him no, so that was where we went next. I was expecting some large oil refinery or a company like Shell oil and was surprised when we stopped at a narrow side street and entered a little shop. Arnam oil is extracted from some type of plant, like olives, and after pressing the juice is recovered. This juice or oil is then made into different potions for various applications from acne to diabetes and hair treatment. It could also be used in cooking and had a nutty odour. We had a look at all the sizes and shapes of bottles labelled for the varying treatments and the fancy prices but had no intention of buying.

Elaborate entrance to the Berber bazaar

Next it was a stop at the souk or Berber bazaar. This was a shop with five floors of local produce from antiques to clothes,shoes, jewellery and carpets. We had one of the girl assistants following us about as we went from floor to floor but she didn't try to sell us anything or was pushy in any way. We found that here and in Casablanca, other than the taxi drivers, we weren't being annoyed by people trying to force us to buy. Not at all like the aggressive selling techniques we experienced in countries like Tunisia, Egypt and India.

After that our tour was over and he headed back to the ship. The three hour excursion became only two but we had had enough. We should have known, again from experience, that the taxi drivers only take you to places where you might spend money, where they obviously receive some form of commission. 

MSC Opera from the dock wall

Before going on board we went up to the top of the harbour wall and began walking out to the shipping entrance to the dock. We had just begun when an official tried to stop us proceeding. His English wasn't very good and it appeared that he was frightened that we would fall in the water or be mugged. Another couple, from Holland, were also walking and we both told him we would take the risk and continued. We chatted with the Dutch pair and took photographs of the ship but turned back half way along. 

Once on board we filled our mugs with coffee and went to the stern of the ship to sit and read. The weather was very nice, sunny and warm, so it was pleasant sitting outside. We watched a small ship below tying up, it manoeuvred into a mooring the same size as the boat. A crane then began to load enormous concrete blocks on to the deck and another crane on the ship moved them neatly into rows. It was interesting to watch until it was time for the lines to the Opera to be released and we set sail again.

When the ship was again in open water it was time for this evenings concert in the theatre. Tonight it was classical music from the same singers that did the arias the other night, plus a woman playing the violin. It was all right but again mostly obscure pieces of music. The rest of the evening followed our now usual routine, dinner in the buffet, music in the bar and bed.

Sunset over Agadir as we sail.