"Have Some Madeira my Dear..."
You have to be over 60 to remember that line of a song. Tomorrow we will be in Madeira. Actually we will be in Funchal on the Island of Madeira. [Funchal is a form of the word fennel that grows on the island.] Oddly that name has always sounded Asian to me.
Madeira is part of an archipelago about 400 miles out in the Atlantic from Africa. Although the islands are about 14,000,000 years old it was only discovered by Portuguese sailors around 1400 and has been Portuguese ever since. They bumped into it as they did their early exploration of the 'New World". The winds and current apparently took the ships down south a bit from Portugal to about Madeira and took them westerly across to lower North America. It was the easiest and possibly the only way to get to North America in those days.
Do you realize that much of the need for exploration was caused by people trying to get spices etc. to Europe? The Ottomans had the traditional overland route to the 'east' locked up. That route was through what is now Turkey, Russia and Mongolia and China etc. The Ottoman made sure that goods going through their territory were well taxed and using their caravans etc. So, as is the case even today, people will try and find another way to get what they want and do not like a monopoly. Hence the search for the 'east' via going west. Also remember when Columbus hit North America he thought that he had hit China, the fabled 'east'.
Madeira is almost exactly on the same latitude as Bermuda, Atlanta and Phoenix so it a somewhat popular place for Europeans to have a beach vacation. It does not have what we who vacation in The Hawaiian Islands call good beaches but they are always full of sun seeking Europeans.
Madeira wine is to me, an acquired taste. There is an interesting history to Madeira wines. Our friend Henry the Navigator had grape vines imported to Madeira. [1500's.] As Madeira developed it's wine industry is was found that the wines were subject to heat and much jostling on their long ocean voyages to far off countries. The wines took on a somewhat different taste during that voyage, and that taste became popular. The end result was that sometimes, casks of Madeira wines were put in holds of ships that were bouncing around in the hot climate, to sort of 'age' the wine. Eventually as early as 1794 a technique was developed using ovens to 'cure' young wines to give them the 'Madeira' flavour. Strange but true.
Then at the end of the 18th century, when Napoleon's brother Joseph blockaded the European route to Madeira, they began to add distilled spirits to the wine to prevent spoilage. Eventually they added generous amounts of brandy to the wine. It is what is called a 'fortified wine'. It packs a punch. Hence the song, 'Have Some Madeira my Dear': an enticement by anxious suitors to naive ladies to have a very tiny amount of wine in the hopes of lowering their resistance.
Tomorrow in Madeira is our last European port of the cruise. The weather looks good and Madeira is a very picturesque island full of colour, life and flowers, it is also springtime. It should be a nice way to wind down from the cruise.
I am sure that there will be more than a few bottles of Madeira wine bought on board tomorrow afternoon, and, a fair amount of it undrunk when we finish the cruise. A glass of Madeira is interesting, but not the kind of thing to have a few glasses of. The merchants in town are very generous in their free samples, and after a few 'fortified' wines the need to purchase seems to overtake people. None for us though, been there, done that.
At least that is the way I understand things to be.
The one photo was taken by Jim in Gibraltar during my quest for the Smokey Joe restaurant. The man next to me was pleased to talk about it and took us up the street to where it was. He made my day!
Madeira is part of an archipelago about 400 miles out in the Atlantic from Africa. Although the islands are about 14,000,000 years old it was only discovered by Portuguese sailors around 1400 and has been Portuguese ever since. They bumped into it as they did their early exploration of the 'New World". The winds and current apparently took the ships down south a bit from Portugal to about Madeira and took them westerly across to lower North America. It was the easiest and possibly the only way to get to North America in those days.
Do you realize that much of the need for exploration was caused by people trying to get spices etc. to Europe? The Ottomans had the traditional overland route to the 'east' locked up. That route was through what is now Turkey, Russia and Mongolia and China etc. The Ottoman made sure that goods going through their territory were well taxed and using their caravans etc. So, as is the case even today, people will try and find another way to get what they want and do not like a monopoly. Hence the search for the 'east' via going west. Also remember when Columbus hit North America he thought that he had hit China, the fabled 'east'.
Madeira is almost exactly on the same latitude as Bermuda, Atlanta and Phoenix so it a somewhat popular place for Europeans to have a beach vacation. It does not have what we who vacation in The Hawaiian Islands call good beaches but they are always full of sun seeking Europeans.
Madeira wine is to me, an acquired taste. There is an interesting history to Madeira wines. Our friend Henry the Navigator had grape vines imported to Madeira. [1500's.] As Madeira developed it's wine industry is was found that the wines were subject to heat and much jostling on their long ocean voyages to far off countries. The wines took on a somewhat different taste during that voyage, and that taste became popular. The end result was that sometimes, casks of Madeira wines were put in holds of ships that were bouncing around in the hot climate, to sort of 'age' the wine. Eventually as early as 1794 a technique was developed using ovens to 'cure' young wines to give them the 'Madeira' flavour. Strange but true.
Then at the end of the 18th century, when Napoleon's brother Joseph blockaded the European route to Madeira, they began to add distilled spirits to the wine to prevent spoilage. Eventually they added generous amounts of brandy to the wine. It is what is called a 'fortified wine'. It packs a punch. Hence the song, 'Have Some Madeira my Dear': an enticement by anxious suitors to naive ladies to have a very tiny amount of wine in the hopes of lowering their resistance.
Tomorrow in Madeira is our last European port of the cruise. The weather looks good and Madeira is a very picturesque island full of colour, life and flowers, it is also springtime. It should be a nice way to wind down from the cruise.
I am sure that there will be more than a few bottles of Madeira wine bought on board tomorrow afternoon, and, a fair amount of it undrunk when we finish the cruise. A glass of Madeira is interesting, but not the kind of thing to have a few glasses of. The merchants in town are very generous in their free samples, and after a few 'fortified' wines the need to purchase seems to overtake people. None for us though, been there, done that.
At least that is the way I understand things to be.
The one photo was taken by Jim in Gibraltar during my quest for the Smokey Joe restaurant. The man next to me was pleased to talk about it and took us up the street to where it was. He made my day!
A Special Day in Lisbon...
Special because Fellette and I were on our own that day. Everybody else was on some sort of tour. That suited us just fine. I find that at this stage of the trip I can be a bit 'short', some would call it nasty. I just am a little tired of being in crowded situations. Even being on a bus with people all around makes me feel confined. Too much of a good thing is what some people say. I am not the only one ready to come home. I talked to one man yesterday that we got to know a little on the trip. He told me that the first thing he is going to do when he gets home, [to his ranch in Texas], is go and camp out for a week where there are no people, only cattle!
Regardless, here was our Special Day. Off the bus around 9.15 and through the terminal to a waiting shuttle bus to take us to the Square of Commerce in the town centre.
There Fellette stood in line for 3/4 of an hour to get tickets for the Hop on Hop off bus. Not a good start to the day. I found a toilet and took pictures.
Eventually were were seated up top and off we went. The sky was that clear blue again and it was a coolish 15 C or 60 F out.
I originally thought that Lisbon was another ABC. [Another Big City]. It is in reality another BEAUTIFUL city. Somehow it did not appear to have the ugly sameness that most large cities have. All the areas that we went through on the 1 1/2 hour route looked like they were pleasant strolling and walking streets.
Even in the commercial and industrial areas they seemed to have a certain 'interesting' aspect to them. Of course they also have some gorgeous parks and sloping boulevards that give the place a certain note of elegance to it.
The city and surrounds are full of beautiful buildings some in massive disrepair, some restored. They all add to the mix of the place and give it a certain elegant ageing note to it. They have had 500 years to erect monuments and statues which are everywhere.
We stayed on the bus until we reached the furthest extreme of the route. There we spent most of our time that day around the Belam Tower which is an impressive piece of work built in 1515, to protect the river mouth, River Tagus. I could not understand it's location until we were informed that when built it was an Island in mid-river.
There is also located the Military Museum and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Unfortunately I am unaware of anything about the Portuguese Military. All I know is that they erected the massive Christ the Redeemer Monument that dominates the approach to Lisbon in thanks for avoiding getting involved in WW ll. It is fortunate that the UK and the other allies do not have such monuments in their capital cities. [I told you I was nasty today.]
Next we walked to the Henry The Navigator monument. Henry was a ruler in Portugal, who although not a scholar nor explorer he encouraged and funded world exploration. During that time, in the 1500's, is when western Europeans were reaching out and completing the mapping and charting of the world.
At that site there is a very interesting and informative map of the world done in marble inlay. It shows the exploration of the world by date from a Portuguese point of view. I see that Nova Scotia was explored in 1500 whilst the west coast has no date, just a cold wind blowing! Unfortunately there were too darn many tourists standing on this masterpiece for Dough to get a decent shot.
Next back to the city centre and a wander through Alfama, the old Town and up to the Castle of St. George. (St. George of who, I know not.) Once again scores of tourists, sitting, drinking and smoking. They must be Europeans, after all it is Europe. The Marlborough Man is doing well here too.
Somewhere along the way we had a very nice dinner for two in a restaurant the size of our bathroom where we were the only guests. Really folks it was wonderful. Just us two. The owner just 'happened ' to have a dinner today of white beans, rice and prawns. Of course we had it. Along with two buns placed in recycled paper bags. We split a rice pudding for desert and the wine was fantastic.
Soon we were back on the shuttle bus to the ship, now around four, we sail at six. A quiet time and a nap. We then decided to have dinner in our room, for the first time on the trip, with the balcony doors open wide and watched Another Beautiful City slip by as we sailed into the Atlantic. Just like Luci told me it was.
Not too bad a day for a couple alone!
Regardless, here was our Special Day. Off the bus around 9.15 and through the terminal to a waiting shuttle bus to take us to the Square of Commerce in the town centre.
There Fellette stood in line for 3/4 of an hour to get tickets for the Hop on Hop off bus. Not a good start to the day. I found a toilet and took pictures.
Eventually were were seated up top and off we went. The sky was that clear blue again and it was a coolish 15 C or 60 F out.
I originally thought that Lisbon was another ABC. [Another Big City]. It is in reality another BEAUTIFUL city. Somehow it did not appear to have the ugly sameness that most large cities have. All the areas that we went through on the 1 1/2 hour route looked like they were pleasant strolling and walking streets.
Even in the commercial and industrial areas they seemed to have a certain 'interesting' aspect to them. Of course they also have some gorgeous parks and sloping boulevards that give the place a certain note of elegance to it.
The city and surrounds are full of beautiful buildings some in massive disrepair, some restored. They all add to the mix of the place and give it a certain elegant ageing note to it. They have had 500 years to erect monuments and statues which are everywhere.
We stayed on the bus until we reached the furthest extreme of the route. There we spent most of our time that day around the Belam Tower which is an impressive piece of work built in 1515, to protect the river mouth, River Tagus. I could not understand it's location until we were informed that when built it was an Island in mid-river.
There is also located the Military Museum and the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier. Unfortunately I am unaware of anything about the Portuguese Military. All I know is that they erected the massive Christ the Redeemer Monument that dominates the approach to Lisbon in thanks for avoiding getting involved in WW ll. It is fortunate that the UK and the other allies do not have such monuments in their capital cities. [I told you I was nasty today.]
Next we walked to the Henry The Navigator monument. Henry was a ruler in Portugal, who although not a scholar nor explorer he encouraged and funded world exploration. During that time, in the 1500's, is when western Europeans were reaching out and completing the mapping and charting of the world.
At that site there is a very interesting and informative map of the world done in marble inlay. It shows the exploration of the world by date from a Portuguese point of view. I see that Nova Scotia was explored in 1500 whilst the west coast has no date, just a cold wind blowing! Unfortunately there were too darn many tourists standing on this masterpiece for Dough to get a decent shot.
Next back to the city centre and a wander through Alfama, the old Town and up to the Castle of St. George. (St. George of who, I know not.) Once again scores of tourists, sitting, drinking and smoking. They must be Europeans, after all it is Europe. The Marlborough Man is doing well here too.
Somewhere along the way we had a very nice dinner for two in a restaurant the size of our bathroom where we were the only guests. Really folks it was wonderful. Just us two. The owner just 'happened ' to have a dinner today of white beans, rice and prawns. Of course we had it. Along with two buns placed in recycled paper bags. We split a rice pudding for desert and the wine was fantastic.
Soon we were back on the shuttle bus to the ship, now around four, we sail at six. A quiet time and a nap. We then decided to have dinner in our room, for the first time on the trip, with the balcony doors open wide and watched Another Beautiful City slip by as we sailed into the Atlantic. Just like Luci told me it was.
Not too bad a day for a couple alone!
Into the Atlantic, our last Ocean or Sea this trip...
Around 5 AM this morning I moved to lie on the couch in our cabin to watch the looming silhouette of the Rock of Gibraltar get closer and closer. For the next 1 1//2 hours I rocked between dozing and watching the lights and was again amazed at the number of ships both moving and anchored in that area close to Gibraltar Harbour. Daylight never came until around 7.30 this morning.
We walked off the ship, us four, Cutlers and Robins. The Gibraltar Taxi drivers have a bit of a hold on this place. because the rates and tours were the same no matter who we checked with. The place is only 2 1/2 square miles so how much fuel can you burn? A two hour tour was 25 euros [$39], per person and that was with six or eight shoved in a van. That comes to $312 for the van load! Forget about it. [Fuel cost about $1.80 litre by the way.]
We walked to the town centre that was just coming to life around 9.30 on a Sunday morning, rather dull if I might say so. We decided to tour on our own and actually waited at a bus stop for a few minutes after enquiring if there was a circle tour bus. Common sense prevailed and we hailed a cab and negotiated with a cabbie for what we considered a reasonable price.
We saw the apes, the cable car, St. Michael's Cave, [discovered by the Roman BC] and the Siege Tunnels, and also visited the Moorish Castle. The interesting thing about the caves is that it was used as a hospital in the past 300 years and is now a tourist attraction where they have seating for about 300 where theatrics are held. The acoustics are great and it is a unique setting. However I wonder about the logistics of getting people up the narrow road on the hill and out again after as there is absolutely no parking at all.
We went to the Siege Tunnels dug in 1779, I believe, to enable the British to rain cannon fire down on the attacking French/Spanish ships below. The tunnels were 370 feet in length housing I think six large cannon. The siege went on in various forms for 5 years or more.
The tunnels are an amazing piece of engineering done 230 years ago by some ingenious hard working sappers or engineers. I cannot even begin to think about the hardships and dangers encountered and endured by those souls. Once the cannons were in place and actually firing the noise, smoke and other hazards echoing through the tunnels would have been horrific to say the least.
There is another set of WW ll tunnels that are even more complex, many miles of them. Moe and Barb visited them as well. We did not.
Next, to a Moorish castle still intact in Gibraltar. A bit of history is needed on that. Phoenicians were possibly the first 'civilized people' to settle here. Followed by Romans that poked around here as well, then sometime after the Roman Empire changed, or as some say, fell, Barbarians from the north occupied the area. These nasties were here until around the 8th century when the Moors took ownership. Then around 1200 the Moors were expelled from all of the Iberian Peninsula by the new good guys on the block, the Christians. [The foregoing is close enough to the facts for the purpose of this writing.]
The unfortunate thing is that there is so much new building going on in the form of low cost government subsidized housing that the appearance of Gibraltar has changed into that of any other modern waterfront city. The centre of old Gibraltar is still full of charm and history. It must be very difficult to combine history and need in a place that is so steeped in history.
When we browsed through the town later it was in full swing for tourists and locals to promenade the streets and sit and have a coffee for a couple of hours. [Smoking is alive and well in Gibraltar]. It would appear that a great deal of Brits nip down to here for a vacation, flights must be cheap. I thought that us North Americans dressed rather shabbily until we were shown how to really do it today by visiting Brits. [Sorry my UK friends, but it was true here today.]
We had a delightful English Sunday Roast lunch today and a pint of lovely English bitters, [beer].
Some of you may recall my comment yesterday about us eating in a place called 'Smokey Joe's' while touring in the area in 1960, 48 years ago. We asked the taxi driver, who was born here, and he pointed it out, different name. We went in and It sort of looked like it might have been the place but I was not sure. I asked the barmaid, but Fellette pointed out that she was not even born in 1960!! The barmaid pointed to some rather mature looking men in the corner having a Sunday pint. I interrupted and asked about Smokey Joe's, two knew of it. One of them took us out and showed us where it was, about 30 feet up the lane. It was now shuttered. He seemed rather happy that somebody would ask about the place where he used to enjoy his pints. [I wondered to myself if I looked as old and weathered as my contemporaries.]
The taxi driver said that in the 60's, when Spain and Britain were a little feisty about Gibraltar, the Spaniards had an old navy ship across the bay, posing an apparent threat to Gibraltar. That ship usually had black smoke coming out of it's stack and the locals called it 'Smokey Joe'. It would appear that that little restaurant that we ate at for a week in 1960 has a name that lives on!
On the subject of nations and relationships, I have included a picture of the Gibraltar Airport runway, that is reclaimed land and runs out into the sea. Please note that the road crossing the runway is the only land route in and out of Gibraltar. You can see the traffic on both sides waiting to cross when the plane has settled in.
Gibraltar celebrated 300 years of British ownership in 2004. That sure is an annoying little piece of rock in foreign hands for the Spanish.
During nasty times the Spanish would shut the border to ruffle Britain's feathers for some reason. The biggest cries of protest came from the masses of Spaniards that crossed that border every day to go to work in Gibraltar!
We sailed at 4 PM and headed out into a placid Atlantic Ocean. We head north tonight and visit Lisbon tomorrow. The skies were absolutely clear and a beautiful blue all day and still are as I write this at 9 PM. Clocks back an hour tonight, we are now on UK time, eight hours ahead of Vancouver.
We walked off the ship, us four, Cutlers and Robins. The Gibraltar Taxi drivers have a bit of a hold on this place. because the rates and tours were the same no matter who we checked with. The place is only 2 1/2 square miles so how much fuel can you burn? A two hour tour was 25 euros [$39], per person and that was with six or eight shoved in a van. That comes to $312 for the van load! Forget about it. [Fuel cost about $1.80 litre by the way.]
We walked to the town centre that was just coming to life around 9.30 on a Sunday morning, rather dull if I might say so. We decided to tour on our own and actually waited at a bus stop for a few minutes after enquiring if there was a circle tour bus. Common sense prevailed and we hailed a cab and negotiated with a cabbie for what we considered a reasonable price.
We saw the apes, the cable car, St. Michael's Cave, [discovered by the Roman BC] and the Siege Tunnels, and also visited the Moorish Castle. The interesting thing about the caves is that it was used as a hospital in the past 300 years and is now a tourist attraction where they have seating for about 300 where theatrics are held. The acoustics are great and it is a unique setting. However I wonder about the logistics of getting people up the narrow road on the hill and out again after as there is absolutely no parking at all.
We went to the Siege Tunnels dug in 1779, I believe, to enable the British to rain cannon fire down on the attacking French/Spanish ships below. The tunnels were 370 feet in length housing I think six large cannon. The siege went on in various forms for 5 years or more.
The tunnels are an amazing piece of engineering done 230 years ago by some ingenious hard working sappers or engineers. I cannot even begin to think about the hardships and dangers encountered and endured by those souls. Once the cannons were in place and actually firing the noise, smoke and other hazards echoing through the tunnels would have been horrific to say the least.
There is another set of WW ll tunnels that are even more complex, many miles of them. Moe and Barb visited them as well. We did not.
Next, to a Moorish castle still intact in Gibraltar. A bit of history is needed on that. Phoenicians were possibly the first 'civilized people' to settle here. Followed by Romans that poked around here as well, then sometime after the Roman Empire changed, or as some say, fell, Barbarians from the north occupied the area. These nasties were here until around the 8th century when the Moors took ownership. Then around 1200 the Moors were expelled from all of the Iberian Peninsula by the new good guys on the block, the Christians. [The foregoing is close enough to the facts for the purpose of this writing.]
The unfortunate thing is that there is so much new building going on in the form of low cost government subsidized housing that the appearance of Gibraltar has changed into that of any other modern waterfront city. The centre of old Gibraltar is still full of charm and history. It must be very difficult to combine history and need in a place that is so steeped in history.
When we browsed through the town later it was in full swing for tourists and locals to promenade the streets and sit and have a coffee for a couple of hours. [Smoking is alive and well in Gibraltar]. It would appear that a great deal of Brits nip down to here for a vacation, flights must be cheap. I thought that us North Americans dressed rather shabbily until we were shown how to really do it today by visiting Brits. [Sorry my UK friends, but it was true here today.]
We had a delightful English Sunday Roast lunch today and a pint of lovely English bitters, [beer].
Some of you may recall my comment yesterday about us eating in a place called 'Smokey Joe's' while touring in the area in 1960, 48 years ago. We asked the taxi driver, who was born here, and he pointed it out, different name. We went in and It sort of looked like it might have been the place but I was not sure. I asked the barmaid, but Fellette pointed out that she was not even born in 1960!! The barmaid pointed to some rather mature looking men in the corner having a Sunday pint. I interrupted and asked about Smokey Joe's, two knew of it. One of them took us out and showed us where it was, about 30 feet up the lane. It was now shuttered. He seemed rather happy that somebody would ask about the place where he used to enjoy his pints. [I wondered to myself if I looked as old and weathered as my contemporaries.]
The taxi driver said that in the 60's, when Spain and Britain were a little feisty about Gibraltar, the Spaniards had an old navy ship across the bay, posing an apparent threat to Gibraltar. That ship usually had black smoke coming out of it's stack and the locals called it 'Smokey Joe'. It would appear that that little restaurant that we ate at for a week in 1960 has a name that lives on!
On the subject of nations and relationships, I have included a picture of the Gibraltar Airport runway, that is reclaimed land and runs out into the sea. Please note that the road crossing the runway is the only land route in and out of Gibraltar. You can see the traffic on both sides waiting to cross when the plane has settled in.
Gibraltar celebrated 300 years of British ownership in 2004. That sure is an annoying little piece of rock in foreign hands for the Spanish.
During nasty times the Spanish would shut the border to ruffle Britain's feathers for some reason. The biggest cries of protest came from the masses of Spaniards that crossed that border every day to go to work in Gibraltar!
We sailed at 4 PM and headed out into a placid Atlantic Ocean. We head north tonight and visit Lisbon tomorrow. The skies were absolutely clear and a beautiful blue all day and still are as I write this at 9 PM. Clocks back an hour tonight, we are now on UK time, eight hours ahead of Vancouver.
Gibraltar Tomorrow...
So what is significant about that you say? Well it means that if the world was flat, later tomorrow we could see North America, that is what! It has been 100 days since we saw that. Some people are no doubt saying "are they still on that boat?" I have not looked at the blog counter lately or done any math on it but surely interest must have waned by now!
Do you remember the scenes from the epic film, Das Boot? It had some terrific scenes of the German submarine on the surface running the Straits of Gibraltar. As you likely know it is on the southern tip of Spain, or more correctly 'The Iberian Peninsula'. The waters here are dotted with ships coming and going east and west to and from the Suez and also between local ports. I was once on deck around midnight because I wanted to see the straits of Gibraltar even though it was dark. My gosh the ships and boats that were going in every direction was frightening, a very, very busy little stretch of water.
Spain and Britain, [England] have been traditional enemies for centuries. Spain was rather put out of the picture by Britain long before France. Do you remember stories of the Spanish Armada that set sail to invade Britain and the episode turned into a fiasco. That was possibly the last time Spain challenged Britain in any real way, not too sure on that. There is plenty of Spanish blood pulsing through English veins from sailors that were shipwrecked and stayed in Britain.
At one time Spain was about the major force to be reckoned with in the world. The Inquisition and the exploitation of South America was done in their heyday. Christopher Columbus, although from Genoa, was funded by Queen Isabella of Spain. Today Spain is an accepted member of the EU and is undergoing a bit of a quiet resurgence after many many years of being in the background.
Gibraltar and Britain are synonymous. Lord Nelson beat the combined French-Spanish fleet, [and suffered fatal wounds] at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, not far from Gibraltar. There are Barbary Apes that live on Gibraltar, looked after by the government because legend has it that "when the apes are gone Britain will leave Gibraltar!"
When you stop and think about past history and events that took place long ago and then take a deep breath and see where we are today it is amazing. Trafalgar Square in London is an example of a bit of thumbing your nose at old adversaries. There's also Waterloo Station, also in London, a bit of national bravado I would say. Can you imagine a train station in Germany called Dieppe Bahnhof, in triumphant chest-thumping of the beating Canadians and others took in WW ll? [Sorry to digress.]
The fact that Britain has Gibraltar, although ceded by Spain in the 1700's in the Treaty of Utrecht, is a sore spot in Spain. [Imagine if Germany was in legal possession of Manhattan, or The Isle of Wight?] The citizens of Gibraltar have had referendums on whether they want to stay with the UK or join with Spain. They always overwhelmingly vote to stay with Britain. Sort of like the Quebec referendum thing in a way.
I have been to Gibraltar only once before, in 1960. About all I remember is an eating establishment called 'Smokey Joes', where we could get what we then considered good food after six months of minestrone and other peasant foods. We were bumming around Europe and could live on about $7.00 a day, two people including gas for the scooter, food, drink and housing. We ate at Smokeys every meal until the chips, beans, sausages, and bacon all became nauseous. Everything was served with chips. The tea was good though.
Today was a leisurely day at sea and the sky was a beautiful blue, although a bit chilly out. It is now around 8.15 at night in full sun. We are pushing the limits of the time zone now and are actually west of Greenwich for the first time since passing the dateline off of New Zealand what seems like years ago but was just about two months ago. As I write this I can see land off the right side of the balcony, it is the South coast of Spain, near Malaga. The girls are at the movies again tonight.
TRIVIA TIME:
Gibraltar's name came from an 8th century Berber general named Tariq, combined with the name for rock, gebal, it became Gebal Tariq. [Say it fast.]
Goodnight folks.
Do you remember the scenes from the epic film, Das Boot? It had some terrific scenes of the German submarine on the surface running the Straits of Gibraltar. As you likely know it is on the southern tip of Spain, or more correctly 'The Iberian Peninsula'. The waters here are dotted with ships coming and going east and west to and from the Suez and also between local ports. I was once on deck around midnight because I wanted to see the straits of Gibraltar even though it was dark. My gosh the ships and boats that were going in every direction was frightening, a very, very busy little stretch of water.
Spain and Britain, [England] have been traditional enemies for centuries. Spain was rather put out of the picture by Britain long before France. Do you remember stories of the Spanish Armada that set sail to invade Britain and the episode turned into a fiasco. That was possibly the last time Spain challenged Britain in any real way, not too sure on that. There is plenty of Spanish blood pulsing through English veins from sailors that were shipwrecked and stayed in Britain.
At one time Spain was about the major force to be reckoned with in the world. The Inquisition and the exploitation of South America was done in their heyday. Christopher Columbus, although from Genoa, was funded by Queen Isabella of Spain. Today Spain is an accepted member of the EU and is undergoing a bit of a quiet resurgence after many many years of being in the background.
Gibraltar and Britain are synonymous. Lord Nelson beat the combined French-Spanish fleet, [and suffered fatal wounds] at the Battle of Trafalgar in 1805, not far from Gibraltar. There are Barbary Apes that live on Gibraltar, looked after by the government because legend has it that "when the apes are gone Britain will leave Gibraltar!"
When you stop and think about past history and events that took place long ago and then take a deep breath and see where we are today it is amazing. Trafalgar Square in London is an example of a bit of thumbing your nose at old adversaries. There's also Waterloo Station, also in London, a bit of national bravado I would say. Can you imagine a train station in Germany called Dieppe Bahnhof, in triumphant chest-thumping of the beating Canadians and others took in WW ll? [Sorry to digress.]
The fact that Britain has Gibraltar, although ceded by Spain in the 1700's in the Treaty of Utrecht, is a sore spot in Spain. [Imagine if Germany was in legal possession of Manhattan, or The Isle of Wight?] The citizens of Gibraltar have had referendums on whether they want to stay with the UK or join with Spain. They always overwhelmingly vote to stay with Britain. Sort of like the Quebec referendum thing in a way.
I have been to Gibraltar only once before, in 1960. About all I remember is an eating establishment called 'Smokey Joes', where we could get what we then considered good food after six months of minestrone and other peasant foods. We were bumming around Europe and could live on about $7.00 a day, two people including gas for the scooter, food, drink and housing. We ate at Smokeys every meal until the chips, beans, sausages, and bacon all became nauseous. Everything was served with chips. The tea was good though.
Today was a leisurely day at sea and the sky was a beautiful blue, although a bit chilly out. It is now around 8.15 at night in full sun. We are pushing the limits of the time zone now and are actually west of Greenwich for the first time since passing the dateline off of New Zealand what seems like years ago but was just about two months ago. As I write this I can see land off the right side of the balcony, it is the South coast of Spain, near Malaga. The girls are at the movies again tonight.
TRIVIA TIME:
Gibraltar's name came from an 8th century Berber general named Tariq, combined with the name for rock, gebal, it became Gebal Tariq. [Say it fast.]
Goodnight folks.
Decadency at Sea....
We have two sea days between Malta and Gibraltar, this is day one. As I mentioned earlier a few passengers are getting a bit weary. Some are not and some are just getting started! [Barb is in the latter category.]
There was really not a lot that happened today but I thought that perhaps it may be of interest for you to hear and see what we consider, 'not much of interest'.
Coffee at 6.15 AM. Check the computer for e-mails. Have another coffee and get cleaned up and dressed for a quick breakfast upstairs. Fellette was in shorts, I had long pants on. A breakfast of bran flakes or oatmeal and a bit of fruit, the time is now 7.50 AM. Down to the lounge for a 25 minute stretch and light work-out that gets the blood going. About 40 of us total.
Next a few turns around the deck that is partly blocked for maintenance. It is a chilly wind blowing so I retire to the cabin for a bit to update my picture album book on the computer, incorporating yesterday's Malta pictures. Fellette off to Bible study.
At 9.45 AM I change to my gym strip and proceed to the gym for a 45 minute session in Pilates. For those that know what Pilates is, no problem. For those that do, it is a series of exercises for abs and legs which I find very, very tiring, but feel very good about it. Back to the cabin for a 3 minute shower and change of clothes. Up to the Queen's Lounge for a 50 minute lecture on the various rulers of the Roman Empire from 300 BC to about 650 AD. Interesting but hard to digest.
12 noon, up to the Lido for a lunch of salad. Then back to the cabin for a very pleasant 2 1/2 hours with the newspaper, the computer and myself!
At 3.00 we went to a 'forum' given by our next door cabin mate on 'writing and illustrating children's books'. I found this very interesting from a printer's point of view, plus I admire people that have these talents. I spent some time with Phyllis earlier in the cruise and have kept up to date with her as she has put together a draft of a book during the last three months, fascinating involvement.
Next to the cabin to get ready for the pre-dinner time up in The Crow's Nest. We often do this on 'Formal Nights' and this is the first since Barb joined us. I took the photo of Fellette on the deck prior to going up and the photo of FRIDAY and shoes is Fellette and I in the elevator. Imagine, you ride the elevator to find out what day it is!
At 5.45 we went to dinner where we had invited a couple that we all enjoy, Fred and Luvis, from Missouri.
Moe, Barb, Fellette and I, plus them. Our regular table mates were elsewhere tonight. We had delightful dinner with them. For desert we ordered 'one of everything' and each had a bite of each dessert offered tonight. Decadent and a bit of fun. Dinner on formal night is always a great menu selection, of which we so little need. Rack of lamb was the winner tonight.
Next we four decided to have our picture taken inasmuch we were all dressed up anyhow! This took place in full view of jeering and heckling acquaintances, it added to the fun.
Moe, Barb and Fellette are off to the movies and Dough, once again, is enjoying his quiet time with his electronic gadgets and reading communications from family and friends.
Fellette's day was somewhat the same except she squeezed in a scrabble game or two, a crafts session and had a choir practice at 4.15.
Today we sailed westward, hugging the coast of Africa, occasionally seeing Islands that I suppose belong to either Tunisia or Algeria.
There was really not a lot that happened today but I thought that perhaps it may be of interest for you to hear and see what we consider, 'not much of interest'.
Coffee at 6.15 AM. Check the computer for e-mails. Have another coffee and get cleaned up and dressed for a quick breakfast upstairs. Fellette was in shorts, I had long pants on. A breakfast of bran flakes or oatmeal and a bit of fruit, the time is now 7.50 AM. Down to the lounge for a 25 minute stretch and light work-out that gets the blood going. About 40 of us total.
Next a few turns around the deck that is partly blocked for maintenance. It is a chilly wind blowing so I retire to the cabin for a bit to update my picture album book on the computer, incorporating yesterday's Malta pictures. Fellette off to Bible study.
At 9.45 AM I change to my gym strip and proceed to the gym for a 45 minute session in Pilates. For those that know what Pilates is, no problem. For those that do, it is a series of exercises for abs and legs which I find very, very tiring, but feel very good about it. Back to the cabin for a 3 minute shower and change of clothes. Up to the Queen's Lounge for a 50 minute lecture on the various rulers of the Roman Empire from 300 BC to about 650 AD. Interesting but hard to digest.
12 noon, up to the Lido for a lunch of salad. Then back to the cabin for a very pleasant 2 1/2 hours with the newspaper, the computer and myself!
At 3.00 we went to a 'forum' given by our next door cabin mate on 'writing and illustrating children's books'. I found this very interesting from a printer's point of view, plus I admire people that have these talents. I spent some time with Phyllis earlier in the cruise and have kept up to date with her as she has put together a draft of a book during the last three months, fascinating involvement.
Next to the cabin to get ready for the pre-dinner time up in The Crow's Nest. We often do this on 'Formal Nights' and this is the first since Barb joined us. I took the photo of Fellette on the deck prior to going up and the photo of FRIDAY and shoes is Fellette and I in the elevator. Imagine, you ride the elevator to find out what day it is!
At 5.45 we went to dinner where we had invited a couple that we all enjoy, Fred and Luvis, from Missouri.
Moe, Barb, Fellette and I, plus them. Our regular table mates were elsewhere tonight. We had delightful dinner with them. For desert we ordered 'one of everything' and each had a bite of each dessert offered tonight. Decadent and a bit of fun. Dinner on formal night is always a great menu selection, of which we so little need. Rack of lamb was the winner tonight.
Next we four decided to have our picture taken inasmuch we were all dressed up anyhow! This took place in full view of jeering and heckling acquaintances, it added to the fun.
Moe, Barb and Fellette are off to the movies and Dough, once again, is enjoying his quiet time with his electronic gadgets and reading communications from family and friends.
Fellette's day was somewhat the same except she squeezed in a scrabble game or two, a crafts session and had a choir practice at 4.15.
Today we sailed westward, hugging the coast of Africa, occasionally seeing Islands that I suppose belong to either Tunisia or Algeria.
So Much for Perpetual Blue Sky...
As you may know the ship spent the last night in Malta, arriving early yesterday evening because of a medical emergency.
This is day 97 of an 111 day cruise [for those of us that are getting off in New York], and some of us are getting a bit tired and weary. No complaints mind you, just a bit wearisome. A quarter of a year is a bit long to live in a fantasy world. The real world beckons, to me at least. The cruise officially ends in Fort Lauderdale three days after New York.
The sky was not 'perpetual blue' today, rather a sea-haze, hopefully a morning thing, but it never burned off.
We four, Cutler's and Robin's were off on our own via public transport to the town of Mdina. [I did not spell it wrong] pronounced Emdina. It is a walled city. The Knights of St. John ruled Malta from about 1530 on.
Napolean took it in 1798 but the British helped the Maltese defeat Napolean, and maintained their presence until 1964.
We were off the ship around 8.30 and for $4.00 Cdn we were soon at the ancient town, with an all day bus ticket. The architecture is outstanding, sand stone walls, castles, stores and shops. Right out of King Arthur Days.
Unfortunately everybody in Malta wanted to be there today. That is really not too bad because, after Venice and other major cities, the crowds at Malta are very manageable. Malta has had an absolutely unbelievable past and history. I think that every imaginable invader has been here at one time or another over the past 2000 years. The Crusaders or Knights were given a site here and over the years developed it as a base of operations. This is a city that is walled-in from invaders from the sea and land, the amount of energy and money that was spent here is almost unimaginable.
Every invader has wanted this little island as a base of operations, easily defendable, right smack in the middle of the shipping lanes between the eastern and western Mediterranean. WW ll was no exception, it is only about 65 miles south of Sicily, at the toe of the boot of Italy.
Remember that at one time in WW ll, Germany occupied North Africa, and Italy was not a friend of the Allies. Malta was a 'Allied Fortress' smack in the middle of a very nasty war. It was attacked and almost bombed to submission but never surrendered. Fortress was really a misnomer, it was ill defended and very vulnerable. It was a desirable piece of Allied real estate in the Mediterranean that Hitler wanted and the UK also looked upon as essential. Malta never surrendered and King George Vl gave Malta the distinction of being the first ever 'group of individuals' to be given the George Cross, for Gallantry. That is still part of their flag that flies proudly over this island of only 300,000+ people.
Meanwhile, us tired Globarians strolled the streets of Mdina. It was a great day in spite of some of that haze hovering above us. A lunch of Minestrone and Pizza, both of which had a distinctive non-Italian flavour, but were delicious, and we made our way back to the main city of Valetta.
From there after a stroll through the town, and some of us were back on the ship for a quiet time before sail-away at 6.00. Bound for Gibraltar, we had a very relaxing dinner in the Lido. Moe, Barb, Fellette and Doug. I know not where Gail and Jim are, perhaps skipping the light fantastic or safely ensconced in their cabin after a delightful day in Glorious Malta!
This is day 97 of an 111 day cruise [for those of us that are getting off in New York], and some of us are getting a bit tired and weary. No complaints mind you, just a bit wearisome. A quarter of a year is a bit long to live in a fantasy world. The real world beckons, to me at least. The cruise officially ends in Fort Lauderdale three days after New York.
The sky was not 'perpetual blue' today, rather a sea-haze, hopefully a morning thing, but it never burned off.
We four, Cutler's and Robin's were off on our own via public transport to the town of Mdina. [I did not spell it wrong] pronounced Emdina. It is a walled city. The Knights of St. John ruled Malta from about 1530 on.
Napolean took it in 1798 but the British helped the Maltese defeat Napolean, and maintained their presence until 1964.
We were off the ship around 8.30 and for $4.00 Cdn we were soon at the ancient town, with an all day bus ticket. The architecture is outstanding, sand stone walls, castles, stores and shops. Right out of King Arthur Days.
Unfortunately everybody in Malta wanted to be there today. That is really not too bad because, after Venice and other major cities, the crowds at Malta are very manageable. Malta has had an absolutely unbelievable past and history. I think that every imaginable invader has been here at one time or another over the past 2000 years. The Crusaders or Knights were given a site here and over the years developed it as a base of operations. This is a city that is walled-in from invaders from the sea and land, the amount of energy and money that was spent here is almost unimaginable.
Every invader has wanted this little island as a base of operations, easily defendable, right smack in the middle of the shipping lanes between the eastern and western Mediterranean. WW ll was no exception, it is only about 65 miles south of Sicily, at the toe of the boot of Italy.
Remember that at one time in WW ll, Germany occupied North Africa, and Italy was not a friend of the Allies. Malta was a 'Allied Fortress' smack in the middle of a very nasty war. It was attacked and almost bombed to submission but never surrendered. Fortress was really a misnomer, it was ill defended and very vulnerable. It was a desirable piece of Allied real estate in the Mediterranean that Hitler wanted and the UK also looked upon as essential. Malta never surrendered and King George Vl gave Malta the distinction of being the first ever 'group of individuals' to be given the George Cross, for Gallantry. That is still part of their flag that flies proudly over this island of only 300,000+ people.
Meanwhile, us tired Globarians strolled the streets of Mdina. It was a great day in spite of some of that haze hovering above us. A lunch of Minestrone and Pizza, both of which had a distinctive non-Italian flavour, but were delicious, and we made our way back to the main city of Valetta.
From there after a stroll through the town, and some of us were back on the ship for a quiet time before sail-away at 6.00. Bound for Gibraltar, we had a very relaxing dinner in the Lido. Moe, Barb, Fellette and Doug. I know not where Gail and Jim are, perhaps skipping the light fantastic or safely ensconced in their cabin after a delightful day in Glorious Malta!
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