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Explorer Revitalized - Spain & Med Beaches, June 2015 - Great Times


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Malaga, Spain Wrap-up: On the drive back to port our tour guide told another couple that you could get sardines grilled outside along the beach by the port. We decided with the other couple that we would have the bus driver drop us off along the beach so could get some sardines and enjoy a walk on the beach before getting back on the Explorer. The tour guide estimated that once we got to the drop-off point we would have 40-45 minutes before back on-board. Unfortunately, by the time we stopped at a convenience area en route, we only had 20 minutes so we had to ditch those plans. Given the short time in port, we also did not have time to see old Grenada or lunch there as is usually included in the tours offered by the tour group we used.

 

The port terminal was quite nice, clean and modern. Unfortunately, there was no free wifi. :( We went into a few shops in the terminal so DD could find some gifts for friends. She found some wine in a bull-shaped bottle, which reminded her of Malaga because we had passed close by the bullring on the way out of town. We found that many products could be found in a few of the shops but that the Duty Free Shop was generally less expensive.

 

There is a Pompidou Museum of Modern Art on the esplanade just past the port terminal on your left. Further down and to the right is a long, beautiful beach with bars and restaurants that had both indoor and outdoor seating. Malaga seems like a very walkable town with a beautiful park and shops in close proximity to port. The day we were there it was 70 degrees Fahrenheit and sunny but breezy. We would have had a fine time at the art museum and beach had we not gone to Alhambra.

 

This is a picture of the beautiful beach in Malaga taken from our balcony:

 

 

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What tour company did you go with for this excursion? It looks wonderful!

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Gourdon, France: This hill town is remarkable mostly for its location VERY high above the Loup river gorge. It is amazing to think about how people used to have to get their supplies up that hill - really amazing!

 

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On a clear day, you can see several major seaside towns. We thought it was quite beautiful despite the increasingly cloudy weather:

 

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When we first met our tour guide he asked if we wanted to have lunch at a restaurant with a great view or a restaurant with great food and no view - DD chose the great view. As it turned out the food was really quite good but the service was painfully slow, especially after we finished eating and were waiting for the check - one of my pet peeves.

 

Restaurant with outdoor seating. We were lucky enough to get a table right by the rock wall overlooking the valley - and thankful for the umbrellas when it started sprinkling. Lunch with three entrees and a bottle of wine - 90 Euro - which we thought was reasonable given the quality and the lack of much competition.

 

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Coq au Vin - excellent!

 

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Veal - DH said it was also excellent:

 

 

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Fettuccine - DD said it was great:

 

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Sorry to ask again, but who did you use for this excursion?

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Sorry to ask again, but who did you use for this excursion?

 

No need to apologize - I'm glad you are interested.

 

In Malaga, we used Spain Day Tours to go to Alhambara. They offer excursions out of several ports in Spain and I know several people on our Alhambra tour planned to tour with them from Cadiz to Seville. http://www.spaindaytours.com/spain-shore-excursions.html

 

In Villefranche, we used Michel Legrand of Revelation Tours. Michel was very prompt in responding to emails, easy to work in finalizing an itinerary customized for us and provided a great tour. http://www.revelation-tours.com/cruise-passengers/

Edited by kccrzr
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Your pictures are beautiful. What kind of camera do you use?

 

Thank you! We really like our Nikons - and sometimes must "discuss" who will be taking control of the camera. Most of the photos were taken with our Nikon D80, some from our DD's NikonD5300 (which has turned out to be a great camera) and a few iPhone photos were thrown in for good measure.

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Ajaccio, Corsica: It was a beautiful, sunny morning when we sailed in to Ajaccio. We cleared customs around 8:30 and back on-board was 3:30pm. The Compass predicted that the high temperature would be 72 F; that was about as accurate as our local forecasters - either the temperature was seriously underestimated or the humidity was extremely high.

 

Sail-in:

 

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Port:

 

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Right at the exit of the port, a temporary display was set up where maps could be found and information obtained:

 

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We headed left down Quai de la Republique towards Place Foch, intending to check out the little tourist train with two different circuits: http://www.petit-train-ajaccio.com/ One block from the ship there were some small shops/trailers of tour operators.

 

The walk/port area was lovely:

 

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Ajaccio market at Place Foch: As soon as we arrived at the market, we were so entranced by it we quickly jettisoned all thought of taking the little "train." We have seen several great markets but Ajaccio's was amazingly beautiful, and even more enchanting for being outside.

 

The variety of foods and other goods was impressive - and the displays magnificent. We thought the prices were also quite good. Although our mouths were watering we had just finished eating breakfast, so we asked several of the locals how long the market would be open and determined to make it back for lunch.

 

Sensory overload:

 

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Ajaccio Citadel/Beach: After taking tons of picture at the market, we continued down Quai Napoleon past the Citadel. The Citadel is still used as a military facility so is closed to the public. It overlooks a lovely beach area which begins right below its walls and stretches for quite a long way up the coast - it is an easy walk from the ship. The first set of stairs we came to were quite steep, but one block farther along the road was a second more easily navigable set of stairs.

 

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I'm really enjoying your post, thanks for taking the time. We're going on the Explorer in October from Barcelona to Dubai, was wondering if they still offer the bag of laundry for 25.00? And do you know how much for a pair of slacks or a shirt? After Dubai we'll be in London for 4 days then transatlantic from Southampton to New Jersey on the Anthem so laundry is a concern for us since we'll be gone for 4 weeks.

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. It's bringing back such lovely memories. That market was fabulous wasn't it and it was so hot that day. Thanks for posting this review I'm loving it perhaps our paths might have crossed on the ship we were there the night you had the presentation on the star lounge

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I'm really enjoying your post, thanks for taking the time. We're going on the Explorer in October from Barcelona to Dubai, was wondering if they still offer the bag of laundry for 25.00? And do you know how much for a pair of slacks or a shirt? After Dubai we'll be in London for 4 days then transatlantic from Southampton to New Jersey on the Anthem so laundry is a concern for us since we'll be gone for 4 weeks.

 

What a fantastic trip you have planned! My youngest daughter and I are thinking about taking the Anthem out of Bayonne at the very end of November. We went on Quantum last year at the same time and had a great time.

 

I can't help with the per piece price to launder clothing. However, on both day 5 and day 10 of our cruise, the Compass indicated there was a "Special Wash & Fold" service offered that day - no other information provided.

 

As D+, we received one free $30 bag of Wash and Fold Laundry (so $30, seems like the going rate now), as well as $10 off another bag of Wash & Fold and $5 off any dry cleaning or pressing service of $25 or more.

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"On one of the sea days mid-cruise, "American Sniper" was scheduled to play at 3:00 pm. We thought that an odd choice but decided to stay at the pool and watch since we had not seen the movie before and it had received good reviews. 22 minutes into the movie it stopped playing with no explanation. We spoke with one of the officers several minutes later when we went to the pool bar to get a drink and the officer told us the movie was pulled due to a complaint about cursing. "

 

 

I'm enjoying this review, we are due to go on Explorer in September. I was a bit shocked by the choice of film as you mentioned. It is an excellent film but not for young children such as you might find by the pool on a summer daytime cruise. There are vivid scenes of violence which are (horrifyingly) based on actual events. The member of the activity team who planned that should be well and truly given a formal chat. The best you can say is someone was thoughtless....

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"On one of the sea days mid-cruise, "American Sniper" was scheduled to play at 3:00 pm. We thought that an odd choice but decided to stay at the pool and watch since we had not seen the movie before and it had received good reviews. 22 minutes into the movie it stopped playing with no explanation. We spoke with one of the officers several minutes later when we went to the pool bar to get a drink and the officer told us the movie was pulled due to a complaint about cursing. "

 

 

I'm enjoying this review, we are due to go on Explorer in September. I was a bit shocked by the choice of film as you mentioned. It is an excellent film but not for young children such as you might find by the pool on a summer daytime cruise. There are vivid scenes of violence which are (horrifyingly) based on actual events. The member of the activity team who planned that should be well and truly given a formal chat. The best you can say is someone was thoughtless....

 

I agree it was a strange choice - on the other hand, if I did not want to watch a certain movie or have my children watch, I just would have gone elsewhere rather than expect the movie be discontinued completely for all others. It seems very self-centered to ask that a movie not be shown.

 

Frankly, I so dislike "Annie" I could have complained about that if I were so inclined - instead, I went inside to drink! Also, I thought it a bit odd that the complaint as relayed to us was about cursing not violence. (Neither of which are appropriate for all people, of course).

Edited by kccrzr
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. It's bringing back such lovely memories. That market was fabulous wasn't it and it was so hot that day. Thanks for posting this review I'm loving it perhaps our paths might have crossed on the ship we were there the night you had the presentation on the star lounge

 

Maybe we did meet - or at least nod in passing - I am wearing the yellow top in the photo from the C&A presentation.

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Corsica, continued: Ajaccio is an easily walkable city with many interesting sights from the awe inspiring to the more prosaic or mundane.

 

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We walked past the beaches and over to Place de Gaulle. While DH went into the public restrooms there, DD and I went into a lovely bakery on Avenue de Paris right across the street from Place de Gaulle, where we purchased some very tasty lemon tarts to take back on the ship with us and enjoy on our balcony with a glass of wine. We also purchased some bottle of water since it was getting pretty toasty out by then. DD and I enjoyed spending a few minutes speaking with the owner and a customer who was there with her little, well-behaved and friendly dog.

 

During our stroll, we went into two churches which were very different but each beautiful in its own way.

 

Cathedral of the Assumption (No. 8 on the map):

 

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Eglise St Roch on Cours Napoleon (No. 10 on the map):

 

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Corsica, continued:There are many shops and restaurants on the streets running parallel to the port. Many of the shops contained tchotchkes and the usual tourist stuff but some had higher quality goods.

 

Just West of Place Foch along the water were a series of cafes and drink establishments with many outdoor tables, some with free wifi. We were determined to get something to eat at the market so headed back there at 12:25 as we had been told it would close at 1:00pm. Much to our dismay, most of the stalls were already closed or were in the process of closing. I rant down to the far end nearest the water to pick up a canvas market bag I had seen earlier and then met with DD and DH in the middle of the market. DD had seen some beignets that morning that she wanted to try so we headed there. The proprietor was closing her stall and bagging everything up but was kind enough to give DD 6 beignets for free - over our several offers to pay. That was super nice and DD said the beignets tasted great.

 

Thwarted in our attempts to get lunch at the market, we headed east down Quai de la Republique to find a sit down restaurant. Several looked good but one we were interested in had no tables remaining under umbrellas and the sun was just a bit too intense. We went a block further East until we found a restaurant with an outdoor table under an umbrella which seemed popular with local people, who hailed each other. Unfortunately, there were only 2 servers for the entire restaurant. We waited patiently for approximately 15 minutes until DH noticed that the server had already brought drinks to a table of patrons who came after we arrived. Predictably, as soon as we started wending our way out, the server stopped us and said she would take our order but we had already decided to move on.

 

So, we walked North and West and found a lovely restaurant with outdoor covered tables to eat lunch. I wish I had written down the name of the restaurant because if was quite good. They had a chalkboard out front advertising a moules (mussles) special for 12 E. We did not order any but after seeing them, we wished we had! The plates were piled high and must have been quite good because many of the local patrons ordered them. We were all very happy with what we ordered, though. I had a lovely charcuterie/fromage plate:

 

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And DD had a really fantastic Croque Madame:

 

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Three entrees, a beer, coke and carafe of wine were less than 50 Euro.

 

Be sure to look down the side lanes also. We discovered a beautiful little candy shop with gorgeous candies. I bought some fruit shaped candies in a little wooden box for my mom. The proprietor wrapped it up so beautifully with gaily colored paper and ribbon, my mom did not even want to unwrap it when we gave it to her.

 

After lunch, we also happened to see a sign for a wine cave down one of the lanes. If you happen across it, go in! It was lovely and the cool temperature was very welcome. I may have to plan another trip to Corsica just so I can get some food at the market and wine at the wine cave for lunch!

 

 

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After doing a bit of shopping in the streets northwest of the port, we headed back East once again on Quai de la Republique, to pick up some gifts for friends at home, as well as some cheese and olives to take on-board with us for a late afternoon snack.

 

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We just wish we would have had even one more hour in Ajaccio, because we would have like to have gone to the Antiquities museum but ran out of time with all of our lunchtime misadventures. All in all, we had a lovely day in Ajaccio. We headed back on board and sat down to enjoy some wine and treats on our balcony as we pulled out of port.

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Cagliari, Sardinia: I found some good information on Cagliari's tourism site regarding points of interest: http://www.cagliariturismo.it/en

 

However, as soon as I came across a tour company offering private tours "off the beaten path" to a small town outside of Cagliari, called San Sperante, which is known for its public artwork/murals, I jumped at the chance to book.

 

We woke to yet another day of alternating gray and blue skies. It was warm but quite breezy, so fine "walking weather."

 

The port is quite commercial:

 

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The morning sunlight was beautiful:

 

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We were cleared in port at 7:30am but were not scheduled to meet our guide until 9:00am. DD woke with a headache so DH and I left her to sleep it off, while we went down to the Diamond and up breakfast area of the MDR on Deck 5. I had Eggs Benedict, which were cooked almost perfectly - a great way to start the day.

 

We got off the ship at 8:45 am and promptly found our guide waiting for us in the parking lot. The main road paralleling the sea was closed off due to a FIFA Futbol tournament, so the tour companies could not park in or near the port. We walked approximately 3/4 miles to the car and then painstakingly slowly skirted around to the medieval old town, then to the Basilica di Bonaria, where we went in for about 15 minutes, but did not take photos in the main nave due to a service going on.

 

Basilica di Bonaria:

 

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After visiting the Basilica we went to a scenic overlook. It took so long to get there, I thought it did not bode well for the rest of the tour - however, the roads quickly cleared up out of town and all was well again.

 

 

In the top half of the photo is the medieval walled old town (above the tree line), as seen from the scenic overlook along the coast:

 

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Overlooking the stadium, the site of the tournament wreaking havoc on traffic patterns:

 

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Be sure to look down the side lanes also. We discovered a beautiful little candy shop with gorgeous candies. I bought some fruit shaped candies in a little wooden box for my mom. The proprietor wrapped it up so beautifully with gaily colored paper and ribbon, my mom did not even want to unwrap it when we gave it to her.

 

After lunch, we also happened to see a sign for a wine cave down one of the lanes. If you happen across it, go in! It was lovely and the cool temperature was very welcome. I may have to plan another trip to Corsica just so I can get some food at the market and wine at the wine cave for lunch!

 

I found this to be true in Barcelona last month. Found some of the best places to eat/shop off the main streets and at a MUCH better price too.

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San Sperate, Sardinia:

 

Once outside of Cagliari, it only took about 20 minutes to arrive in San Sperate. We went to a park where we met a guide who worked for the tourist office in San Sperate. She did not speak English, so our driver tour guide translated.

 

San Sperate is an interesting small town. Many of the buildings are in need of some TLC but the artwork is varied and interesting. The town takes applications from artists who wish to paint murals in town. Most of the murals are on privately owned property. Apparently, the owners who volunteer their buildings for a mural have no control over the design and some property owners have not been too happy with the murals painted on the side of their buildings.

 

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On our walk through town, we happened to meet this lovely artist who had graduated from art school in Florence, Italy and was selected to paint a mural in town. She took a break from painting to speak with us and said it would take several months all told for her to finish her painting.

 

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San Sperate, Sardinia, continued:

 

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The cows in this mural seemed to turn their heads and look at you as you walked down the street:

 

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One of the things we noticed on this trip was that in many places with walled towns, houses in other parts of town were themselves walled off. It must be ingrained in the psyche.

 

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Pinuccio Sciola: We would have been happy had that been the extent of our walking tour but the best was yet to come. We walked through town to the sculpture garden/work shop of Pinuccio Sciola, known for his "musical" rock sculptures.

 

There were acres of sculptures:

 

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But, best of all we were fortunate enough to meet Sciola, who is over 70 years old but continues to work on his sculptures almost every single day. And not only did we meet him, he actually played some of his smaller pieces for us in a mini concert, which was in turn lilting and haunting and beautiful.

 

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We were amazed how generous Sciola was with his time. After the concert, his daughter gave us a personal tour of the gardens and played some of the larger pieces for us.

 

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it was truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

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Sardinia, continued: When we returned to the San Sperate park, our local guide from the city tourist office took leave after refusing a gratuity. We were pleasantly surprised to see a "light" lunch waiting for us - it was completely unexpected and really hit the spot. In addition to this spread we were given a bottle of wine and water.

 

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We arrived back at port with 2 hours to spare. The upside of having the main road closed was that it was much more pedestrian friendly and was filled with interesting vintage cars.

 

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There were some nice restaurants near the port as well as some good shops for gifts.

 

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Good-bye, Sardinia: Back on board ship DD and I ran to Guest Relations on an errand and DH offered to get drinks for us. By the time he ordered DD a mango daiquiri and a couple of Corona for each of us, he had more than he could carry. Our friendly server at the Pool Bar came to the rescue by providing a 6 pack carrier.

 

 

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We sat on our balcony, enjoying some good, cold drinks and sail-out.

 

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Basilica di Bonaria:

 

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I found this to be true in Barcelona last month. Found some of the best places to eat/shop off the main streets and at a MUCH better price too.

 

So much more interesting also, to get off the main roads for even a few blocks.

 

It's good to know that holds true of Barcelona as well. We had absolutely no time there due to a missed flight connection. Hopefully, we will make it back some day.

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