Live - Independence Italian Med (7/13-7/27) - European Vacation

[h20skibum]

The place was filled with vendors selling fans.  With the 90+degree F day, they made many sales. 

 

 

 

[h20skibum]

On our way to our next stop, we passed the last tensing portion of an ancient aqueduct

 

 

 

[h20skibum]

Las Setas, or Metropol Parasol, is a large wooden structure in the old quarter of Seville.  It is supposed to be the largest wooden structure in the world, and is shaped like mushrooms

 

 

An elevator takes you to the top, and there is a walkway that gives you different views of the city. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[h20skibum]

The tour was advertised to give us free time in a local market for lunch and shopping after visiting Las Setas. The guide told us to go to a bar after touring the structure, and we would receive a free drink 

 

Since it was now 1:30, many assumed this was the lunch break, and ordered food. However, the kitchen at this place was understaffed, and several had to box up their food to go. 

 

After boarding the bus, we then drove to the next drop off point.  It is now 2:30, and our guide tells us we can split up in two groups, and one can go for lunch and shopping, and the second group can go visit the cathedral.  This only confused people more.  

 

Since we had packaged up our lunch from the previous stop, we decided to visit the cathedral. 

 

 

 

[h20skibum]

Admission to the cathedral was not included in the tour, and if you want to enter, it is €9 each. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[h20skibum]

The cathedral holds the remains of Christopher Columbus 

 

 

 

 

[h20skibum]

As soon as we exit the church, we were accosted tiny Spanish women, shoving weeds in our hands, and talking really fast in a language we don’t understand well. 

 

It was then, that they grabbed our hands and started reading our palms.  Crap!!  They weren’t really nuns, or someone associated with the church.  With their grip on our hands, they are now demanding money for reading our palms (although we understood nothing they said)

 

Thinking I can get away, I hand them three €2 coins.  No, they want €10.   Each!!!!  At this point, we just want to be away from them, without having some kind of evil gypsy hex cast on us. 

 

So so now we are down €26, because they also kept the coins, but we are escaping with a promise of long life and happiness, or, at least that’s what I hope they said.  

 

So, the moral of this story is. “If you see someone with these weeds in their hands, run in the other direction.”  Your money would be better spent on ice cream 

 

 

 

[suesnake2002]

The one on the right is fresh rosemary, and the left looks like thyme. Spices not weeds. 

[Calbeeman]

I recognize the same restaurant from a tour 2 years ago.

[h20skibum]

2 hours ago, suesnake2002 said:

The one on the right is fresh rosemary, and the left looks like thyme. Spices not weeds. 

Haha.  We know that, but they are still weeds to us. 😁

[h20skibum]

So after our escape from the gypsies, we boarded the bus for our long trip back to port.  The guide, once again, ignored all the passengers.  At least on other tours, the guides kept everyone engaged and provided information along the way

 

I would be hesitant to recommend this tour to anyone.  Maybe if the changed the tour order to have Las Setas last, and if they had a better guide, it would be better. 

 

We made it back to the ship, just as they were pulling up the gang planks, and it was a mad dash to get ready for dinner.  

 

Dinner for the night was harissa spiced chicken.

 

 

 

[h20skibum]

A stingray awaited us on our bed 

 

 

 

Entertainment for the main show was the Wild Boys, an 80’s tribute band

 

 

The theatre was, once again, packed.  Here is a short video of some of their performance

 

https://www.pscp.tv/w/cArxqTEzNzU1Mzc5fDFNWXhOZG1XT2p2R3ca3fZE_d31uuUYgt13DB-rAi50m5pg5Us9jVEVgFzOQg==?t=1s

 

 

[h20skibum]

So finally a sea day to relax, but that means the end of the cruise is near. 

 

Day13 was our third, and final formal night, with lobster and shrimp on the night’s menu.  

 

Not many pictures from around the ship, because we spent most of the day at the Solarium.  

 

A couple of things did appear pear during the day. 

 

Towel animals on many of the couches by the elevators (or lifts - that is so much easier to say)

 

 

And since the swells were around 10 feet high, these appeared. 

 

 

I saw a few people collecting them 

 

 

[h20skibum]

Showtime was Once Upon a Time, in the Royal theatre.  It wasn’t as well attended as some of the other shows, and you could still find seats at showtime. 

 

 

[h20skibum]

The late night entertainment was Rock Britannia in the centrum.  It was literally packed.  

 

For anyone who may have caught the periscope video of the street party that I did, for some reason, the video kept spinning in circles. After I watched the replay this morning, I had to delete it, because it was so bad. 

 

I did upload load a video of a portion of the party

 

 

 

 

I hope everyone is able to watch it.  After uploading, I received this in an email. (Anyone ever seen this from a video upload?)

 

Due to a copyright claim, your YouTube video has been blocked in some countries. This means that your video is still up on YouTube, but people in some countries may not be able to watch it.

Video title: Rock Britannia Street Party

• Copyrighted content: I Saw Her Standing There (Mono) (2009 Digital Remaster)

 

 

Edited July 26, 2019 by h20skibum

[h20skibum]

So, as predicted, I did fall behind with all the long port days, but now I am current on our last day at sea. 

 

At least they haven’t run out of these. 

 

 

 

[sgmn]

1 hour ago, h20skibum said:

The late night entertainment was Rock Britannia in the centrum.  It was literally packed.  

 

For anyone who may have caught the periscope video of the street party that I did, for some reason, the video kept spinning in circles. After I watched the replay this morning, I had to delete it, because it was so bad. 

 

I did upload load a video of a portion of the party

 

 

 

 

I hope everyone is able to watch it.  After uploading, I received this in an email. (Anyone ever seen this from a video upload?)

 

Due to a copyright claim, your YouTube video has been blocked in some countries. This means that your video is still up on YouTube, but people in some countries may not be able to watch it.

Video title: Rock Britannia Street Party

• Copyrighted content: I Saw Her Standing There (Mono) (2009 Digital Remaster)

 

 

Mmmm,   it says blocked when I try and open it here in UK

[h20skibum]

28 minutes ago, sgmn said:

Mmmm,   it says blocked when I try and open it here in UK

That’s too bad.  Never thought that would happen with a song being done by Royal’s entertainers.  I can bring it up just fine.  I guess it is not blocked in the States

[h20skibum]

You know it is a sad day, when the farewell cake appears

 

 

[chawkjewel]

58 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

That’s too bad.  Never thought that would happen with a song being done by Royal’s entertainers.  I can bring it up just fine.  I guess it is not blocked in the States

 

I'm in the states.  I couldn't open it either.

[little britain]

4 hours ago, h20skibum said:

Haha.  We know that, but they are still weeds to us. 😁

Expensive weeds!! LOL

 

And yes, Wild Boys are fantastic.!

Edited July 26, 2019 by little britain

[h20skibum]

1 hour ago, chawkjewel said:

 

I'm in the states.  I couldn't open it either.

Wow.  Don’t know why I can still see it.

 

How about this link?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xjY7n9tTxg

 

[kernow]

None of the links open for me. 

 

Wild Boys look great! Have a fab last night.

[chawkjewel]

5 minutes ago, h20skibum said:

Wow.  Don’t know why I can still see it.

 

How about this link?

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3xjY7n9tTxg

 

Sorry. This is what I get. 

[h20skibum]

2 minutes ago, kernow said:

None of the links open for me. 

 

Wild Boys look great! Have a fab last night.

That’s too bad.  Now I just hate the final packing. 

 

But at least we have more touring and time before we head back to the US