2023 Grand World Voyage with The Inside Cabin

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Ship arrived around 7 am

 

Cleared a little before 8am

 

Leave ship at 8:15 for our Across Africa Tour 

 

There is a close gate with HAL buses and some private tours.   There is a inner gate and an outer gate.   Our bus was outside the outer gate.   Getting inside requires additional money and permits and many discount tours don't want to spend the extra money. 

 

We stopped by a view spot later with a nice view of the port.   We moored alongside Oceania Sirena.   The Silversea Silver Dawn was also in port 

view of the port 

 

Earlier we stopped by Cspe Spartel where the Mediterranean meets the Atlantic. 

cape Spartel 

 

We saw the Caves of Hercules 

 

entrance to cave 

 

this is supposed to look like Africa when viewed from the other side.  

More later.  
 

Tangier is a great port.  Very modern.   

 

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We arrived in Malaga - 

 

I am off to Córdoba, Spain for an all day HAL tour -

 

We spotted this line of camels on the beach in Tangier - not sure what tour this was - looked like fun!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Starting out on our HAL tour.     Not too crowded.  
 

We were almost the last ones on, but we enjoy the back row as we can spread out and it is almost always available.  

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We are on our way back to Malaga from Córdoba.   Great excursion

 

Highlight was the Mosque–Cathedral of Córdoba.   They built a Catholic Church inside the Mosque hundreds of years ago.   Amazing.  
 

Here is the Church 

 

Seeing the world thru your phone 

 

Inside the Mosque

 

 

Roman bridge that spans the Guadalquivir River - 2000 years old.  Still in use 

 

 

[oakridger]

Hi Pete.  I love your posts and blog.  It's so informative and entertaining.

I have a question about your postings though.  (This is in no way a complaint about the many, many hours of work you do for so many of us!!)  Just curious!   You have been posting your reports and pictures pretty much within a day of when you are in ports, but your main blog is getting posted quite a bit later.  Is it because the main blog is harder to send from the ship's internet or possibly because the main blog has much more added info for menus, Daily schedules, etc.?  Or some other reason?

 

I have been waiting to read mostly until the main blog is posted so I can "savor" it more.  Maybe that's a little weird and I should just read the CC and get my fix ASAP!!  🤷‍♀️

 

Anyway, thanks,

~Nancy

[The-Inside-Cabin]

4 hours ago, oakridger said:

Hi Pete.  I love your posts and blog.  It's so informative and entertaining.

I have a question about your postings though.  (This is in no way a complaint about the many, many hours of work you do for so many of us!!)  Just curious!   You have been posting your reports and pictures pretty much within a day of when you are in ports, but your main blog is getting posted quite a bit later.  Is it because the main blog is harder to send from the ship's internet or possibly because the main blog has much more added info for menus, Daily schedules, etc.?  Or some other reason?

 

I have been waiting to read mostly until the main blog is posted so I can "savor" it more.  Maybe that's a little weird and I should just read the CC and get my fix ASAP!!  🤷‍♀️

 

Anyway, thanks,

~Nancy

The main blog takes longer to write and create.   It has nothing to do with the ship's internet.   Sometimes it was a problem, but not usually.   

 

When you see a post here with the BIG BLACK HEADER - that is a main blog post copied over.   But some of those haven't been published yet on the main blog.

 

I got behind with the safari.    I have 4 or 5 in the queue, and once I finish Cape Town and Luderitz - the rest of ready to go.   

 

Thanks for following!!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We arrived Cadiz!   Here is a video from the SeaView Pool

 

We will be heading out in an hour - spend some time walking around and maybe jump on the HOHO

 

 

 

Port Gate and HoHos

 

Cathedral Cadiz about 1/2 mile away

 

 

 

[alibabacruisers]

Thank you Pete for sharing your adventure with us!

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Did the HOHO yesterday today

 

 

and walked thru the Cathedral - Nice Day

 

 

We got Easter chocolate when we returned!

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Arrived in Lisbon around 10 am.   
 

"Lisbon" rolls.  aka Panama Canal rolls were available on the open bow and crow's nest. 
 

 

25th of April Bridge - built by same company as the Golden Gate

 

 

Lisbon's most important square: the Praça do Comércio

 

Sanctuary of Christ the King monument - inspired by Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio 

 

 

off to Sintra today!  

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Here are a few highlights from our Libson tour yesterday with "Tours by Locals"  Miquel

 

Cabo da Roca Lighthouse - the most westerly point in continental Europe

Big ZOOM close up of the lighthouse

 

Here we are at Cabo da Roca - the lighthouse is about .7 miles away.

 

Beautiful seaside resort town - Cascais - you could spend a week here:

 

 

Adega Regional de Colares  - The oldest cooperative winery in Portugal

Huge wine casks - over 10000 liters

 

Not sure we can get this back on the ship

 

Sintra Palace

Sintra Palace is impressive - beautifully restored.

 

We bought terrific pastries from Casa Piriquita

Casa Piriquita has been in business since 1862

 

Back at the terminal 

We love Lisbon!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 11, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[oakridger]

I was all booked for a trip to Lisbon in June 2020.  Dang!!!  You have reminded me that I need to make a plan again to go!!   

 

I wonder how much corkage fee they would charge you for that barrel of vinho!! 

 

~Nancy

Edited April 11, 2023 by oakridger

[boone2]

Really enjoying your blog. I love the variety of things you do in each port and your efforts to find out as much as you can about each place you visit 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

BREAKING NEWS!  

 

Next Port - Brest, canceled.

 

We have arrived in A Coruña, Spain

 

Here is a one-minute video report 

 

 

 

[oakridger]

That's disappointing Pete!  That must be some big storm off the coast of France to cause the cancellation.  

 

~Nancy

[The-Inside-Cabin]

44 minutes ago, oakridger said:

That's disappointing Pete!  That must be some big storm off the coast of France to cause the cancellation.  

 

~Nancy

This is the wave forecast for 6 PM tomorrow - as we would be approaching Brest - 12-15 foot seas

 

 

Delaying our transit by 12-18 hours and the waves look like this

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Great day in A Coruña

 

Found a nice yarn shop, Picknit, a couple of miles away - took a taxi

 

Veronica, proprietor of Picknit

 

Hiked up to Monte de San Pedro for a spectacular view of A Coruña

 

 

Took another cab to the Tower of Hercules

 

 

Tower of Hercules from Monte de San Pedro

 

Go out for dinner tonight a La Bombilla , local tapas restaurant,  - All aboard at 10:30 pm

 

 

 

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

We headed out to nearby Rúa Galera to get some local food.  La Bombilla was just opening, and the seating was outside and a little windy, so we walked down the street to A Taberna Do Pulpo.   The menu was limited, and the food was OK. 

 

A Taberna Do Pulpo translates to Octopus Bar.....This was their window display

 

 After a bit, we headed back to La Bombilla for another beer and some more tapas.   The food was excellent.   

 

Table 89 at La Bombilla

 

Back on the ship, I checked out Trip Advisor for A Taberna Do Pulpo - and it is ranked DEAD LAST of every restaurant in A Cornuna.  809 out of 809.......

 

We had to stop for some chocolate on the way back to the ship!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited April 12, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[CruisingGrandmaW]

14 hours ago, The-Inside-Cabin said:

This is the wave forecast for 6 PM tomorrow - as we would be approaching Brest - 12-15 foot seas

 

 

Delaying our transit by 12-18 hours and the waves look like this

 

Pete:  The Local San Diego Channel 5 News - just showed a clip of the huge waves in that area coming towards shore.  OMG - can understand why they cancelled this port.

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Tonight is another Formal Night - with the theme:  Casino Royale

 

 

Gus Antorcha, President of HAL, will be making a presentation on the World Stage on 20 April at which time he is expected to reveal the itinerary for the 2025 Grand World Voyage.

Edited April 13, 2023 by The-Inside-Cabin

[Cruising Is Bliss]

The last Volendam cruise currently on HAL's website ends in Fort Lauderdale on 1/25/25 and that was the start date for option D, the Pole to Pole potential alternate GV 🙂

 

Edited April 14, 2023 by Cruising Is Bliss

[The-Inside-Cabin]

Fun time in the Casino for formal night.   Most of the games were free.   For example, for Roulette, you were given 200 roulette chips and had five spins to amass your fortune.   Then you could move over to craps or blackjack and play those games with free chips and a limited number of rolls or deals.  

 

The games started at 7pm and our dinner was at 7:30 so we didn't have time do play more than roulette.   We lost it all!

 

 

Some folks moved over to the Craps table.  Others played blackjack and slots.    The top three finishers for each game recieved goodie bags from the spa and shops.

 

 

Tuxedo Junction!

Pam, John, Judy, Pete, Linda and Richard

 

Surf and Turf in the Main Dining Room

We were hosted by future cruise consultant - Neil.   We enjoyed learning about his fascinating career on cruise ships, where he has worked as a bartender, internet manager, and now future cruise sales.

 

Henk was the guest at Coffee Chat this morning.   He discussed how HAL paid $70K for clearance for the eight containers of supplies in Senegal that never made it to the ship.  The containers have been rerouted to the Oosterdam.

 

The Murder Mystery in the Gallery Bar was standing room only as reported to me - we were still at dinner and missed it.   

 

 

[The-Inside-Cabin]

BREAKING NEWS -

 

Le Havre CANCELLED due to French labor strike.

 

We will be calling in Dover, England instead.

[Sir PMP]

Enjoy Weymouth, a historical city:

 

[SJSULIBRARIAN]

You and your Tuxedo Junction mates look great in the Casino. (Casino Royale?)