Transatlantic Spanish Ports

It took 2 1/2 hours to get to Heathrow, mid-morning, which severely disrupted my lounge time. I was picked up by a driver from Cameroon and this was the first time I had an all electric taxi to the airport. I could see the remaining range was only around 40 miles which was going to cut things fine if there was heavy traffic. There was. 

We reached close to empty by Hammersmith flyover and nipped into the BP for a quick 20 minute charge. He couldn’t get the machine working, so after half an hour, I abandoned him and nabbed a black taxi the rest of the way.

I boarded the following day and there were five ships in Barcelona including my favourite named ship, the Costa Fortuna. I look forward to the day that I sail on that one so I can moan about the prices.

Whilst boarding I bumped into my friend Lydia and her new husband, Bob. I knew they were travelling on this ship as part of their honeymoon. I thought Lydia would be single forever, so it was great to meet the man who had captured her heart.

I started my new regime on the ship that I’ve named “Operation Muffin Tops” and I had something called a “salad”. Let’s see how long that lasts!

Having been on this ship just 10 days ago, I already knew the layout, I knew some of the crew, and I was aware how ghastly the scrambled egg was. 

I was up early the next morning and witnessed a lightning storm which was rather exciting. Our first stop was Valencia which had experienced severe flooding just days before. The epicentre of the deluge was some 40 miles away, but the whole region got splattered. 

I wasn’t keen on taking the ship shuttle to town, so I jumped in a taxi and headed for the cathedral in the old town. A very nice town to walk around, and I could certainly spend more time there. I walked most of the way back passing a superbly modern looking arts centre with several buildings covering a large area. 

In the evening a guy from Tennessee called Les approached me at music trivia wanting to join my team of one. He was 74 so I figured he might know a thing or two. I was wrong. His contribution was “Bobby someone”. We didn’t get the someone so didn’t score the point. Who sang Monster Mash? 

On Saturday we arrived in Alicante which was highly picturesque from the top deck. The sunniest city in Europe, don’t you know. 

My mission was to visit the Castell de Santa Barbara which dominates the coastline. I was ready for an uphill hike, but there only seemed to be an elevator to the top. I reluctantly accepted the easy option! The castle complex was eminently explorable and offered great views in all directions. 

Back at sea level I had a chance meeting with January who nearly ran me over in her tuk-tuk. I decided I was safer inside it so we went on a mini tour. That’s two people called January that I’ve met travelling this year. 

The Basilica Santa Maria was the highlight. A wedding was going on inside with tourists milling about at the back. Most unusual. 

I avoided music trivia in case Les was lurking. I was then treated to my third monetary windfall in the casino. Operation Muffin Tops is obviously good for me. 

Stop three was Malaga, birthplace of Pablo Picasso and Antonio Banderas. I was the first off the ship and hired a car for the day. I wanted to visit Ronda, some 65 miles away. Katy and I had visited Ronda 20 years ago and I recall it being quite spectacular. It still was. Possibly one of the highlights in the whole of Southern Spain- certainly in Malaga province.

I drove back via Mijas where Matt and Irje were visiting from Finland. The three of us had a super lunch in a restaurant overlooking the sea. It was great to see them. 

Our final Spanish stop was Cadiz. We passed the Strait of Gibraltar the night before where the distance between Europe and Africa is only 7.9 nautical miles. A nautical mile is roughly 15% more than a regular mile. 

Cadiz is one of the oldest cities in Europe dating back to 1100 BCE. It was here, off the coast of the Province of Cadiz, that the Battle of Trafalgar took place in 1805. The 27 ships of the Royal Navy, under the command of Lord Horatio Nelson, defeated the combined Spanish and French fleet of 33 ships. Napoleon wasn’t happy. The British had half the number of men. The death toll was 450 for Britain, 4400 for the French and Spanish. The British lost no ships. The French and Spanish lost 20. This was a defining moment that established British naval supremacy. Lord Nelson was killed during the battle by a musketeer. He was 47 years old and 5‘4“ tall – probably a similar height to Napoleon. Nelson lost his sight in one eye in 1794, whilst in Corsica. Three years later he lost his right arm in Tenerife. Two popular holiday spots, but obviously not without their dangers. 

Cadiz was the unexpected highlight for me. Low expectations combined with a thoroughly splendid walk around the cobbled streets. And of course the Cathedral. 

There was a beautifully landscaped park along the sea wall with some of the most curiously featured trees I’ve ever seen in my arboreal observations. 

I went to music trivia and luckily Les has teamed up with five others. I was saved. I sat on my own and was victorious. Of course I was – the theme was “love songs”. I’m a sucker for a ballad. 

That was it for Spain. We left a little late as a passenger was taken off by ambulance. He and his wife were disembarked with their luggage. A small crowd gathered to watch proceedings. 

I’ve bumped into Lydia and Bob a lot. Mostly in bars. I’m saying nothing. They seem very happy together which is lovely to see. 

Next stop Madeira.