After eating breakfast, Trini suggested that we go visit Canyonlands National Park also known as “Island in the Sky“. Canyonlands National Park in southeastern Utah is known for its dramatic desert landscape carved by the Colorado River. Island in the Sky is a huge, flat-topped mesa with panoramic overlooks. Other notable areas include the towering rock pinnacles known as the Needles, the remote canyons of the Maze and the Native American rock paintings in Horseshoe Canyon. Whitewater rapids flow through Cataract Canyon.

We arrived at Canyonlands before the crowd started to arrive. Since we only had an hour and a half before we proceed to the Arches again, we drove straight to the most popular tourist site – the Grand View Point Overlook. The rock formation reminded me a little bit of the Grand Canyon although this park has its own unique colors on top. Like all the amazing rock formations we’ve visited this one too is really breathtaking!

Trini and I feasting our eyes with this wonderful view!

We arrived in the Arches National Park just in time for our 11:00 – 12:00 timed entry reservation. This time there was a longer line of vehicles compared from yesterday. We decided to go back since we wanted to hike a little bit and see the “hidden” arch called the Landscape Arch which has a span of 300 feet. There was some showers before we arrived and the sky was mostly cloudy – good for hiking. However, the slight breeze became windy making it cooler. Luckily we brought our sweaters with us. The parking lot was almost full and we had to walk quite a ways to find one.

I hate to keep repeating myself but the rock formations were really amazing! No wonder people from all over the world come here just to see it! When you’re standing on a slope and scan all those fantastic humongous rocks scattered all over the place, you have to pinch yourself to make sure you are not dreaming. You wonder how on earth they were formed so beautifully!

We’re now in our hotel room after a long (almost 7 hours) drive. Our hotel is located just outside of Grand Canyon so we do not have to wake up early.

Last night after the tour of the Lower Antelope Canyon we rested a little bit then went to Big John’s Texas Barbecue. We saw a lot of people eating there so we decided to give it a try. we ordered margaritas to cool us off after the tour. I ordered pulled beef brisket sandwich and Trini ordered the pulled chicken sandwich and baby back ribs that we shared. Side orders of Cole slaw and beans. Verdict: Not bad but I’ve had better Texas barbecue. Despite my lackluster review of the food I give them a one thumb up for their hee-haw band. They were good and at times I had to clap and stomp to keep up the rhythm.

We checked out of our hotel at 7:00 am and went to Safeway Supermarket to buy more water and ice and of course, the strong Joe from Starbucks!

My loyal GPS took us to two-laned US Routes. You know you are driving through a rural area when the signs say: “Watch out for deer next 5 miles”, “watch out for cow next 20 miles”, “watch out for animals next 80 miles”! An uneventful driving for almost 6 hours of driving within the speed limit with three rest stops.

We also occasionally stopped to admire the various rock formations along the way – they were truly amazing! It was interesting to see how the landscape scenery gradually changed as we were nearing Utah – from the reddish almost barren soil in Arizona to green vegetation in Utah.

After checking in at the hotel and dropping off our stuff in our room, we drove directly to the Arches National Park (about 3 miles away) since we had a 3:00-4:00 pm timed entry reservation. That’s right, you have to get online weeks if not months to get a reservation for entry. This is to control the influx of tourists especially during the peak months. There was a long line of vehicles but it only took 15 minutes to get to the booths. I showed my digital reservation bar code and my national parks access card (otherwise we would have been charged $30).

How the Arches were formed: The entire region began to rise 15 million years ago, and increasing erosion caused removal of the sedimentary rocks above the Entrada Sandstone. Once at the surface, erosional forces began to act upon the sandstone layers creating the famous arches with the national park. There are over 2,000 documented arches in the park, ranging from sliver thin cracks to spans greater than 300 feet.

The park was not crowded as it would usually be during the summer although the parking lots are almost full wherever you go. We were able to access a few arches by walking a little bit; however, many of the arches were hard to reach – a couple of them you had to hike for a couple of hours! We didn’t do this since we were still tired from yesterday’s Antelope Canyon tours.

We drove to the farthest area in the park – the Devil’s Garden where we had our photo ops near the beautifu arch. The arches were named like Skyline Arch, Tapestry Arch, Sand Dune Arch, Delicate Arch, etc. After admiring these breathtaking sceneries we decided to leave as we were famished. We were sad to leave but leave we must.

We drove through downtown Moab and we spotted a sign that says “Food Truck Park” and we followed that. We ended eating Chinese food for dinner under a huge tent with a mister to cool the customers (I felt it was not necessary as the temperature was in the low 80’s and there was a nice breeze).

After we arrived at our hotel room I immediately changed to my swim shorts and went to the jacuzzi with a glass of cabernet to relax! Aaah, so soothing and relaxing – the place was empty and I savored my solitude…..

UPPER ANTELOPE CANYON – If today you decide that you do not wish to travel anymore; if today you tell yourself that you’re tired and have no more energy to see places you’ve never seen before, I implore you to pack your outdoor apparel and go see the Antelope Canyon – IT WILL BE WORTH YOUR EFFORT AND ENERGY! However, if you’ve been a perennial couch potato I advise you do a little hiking/exercise before you do visit this amazing place! The tour advertisers may tell you that the tour is easy to moderate level and that may be so but there were folks who barely made the return walk at the end of the Upper Antelope Canyon tour. The Lower Antelope Canyon had shorter walks but the stairs to go up and down to the two chambers were very steep!

We visited the Upper Antelope Canyon in the morning and it started at 9:50 am. We checked in at the tour office and a “safari truck” with the sides open drove us to the place. Ten minutes of paved road and another ten minutes of unpaved bumpy, dusty ride! No wonder the tour guide insisted we wear seatbelts (two persons per seatbelt). Most of the tourist were foreigners – from Germany, Belgium, Korea, etc.

Oscar, our guide asked how many of us had iPhones (everyone did!). He guided us on how to change the settings of our iPhone cameras to optimize features. The result was remarkable as you can see in the posted photos!

The swirling effects of the lights coming from the slots above is the real photo cause and effect of this unbelievable rock formation from millions of years of wind and rain erosion to flash flooding throughout the years! Honestly, those swirling light shadows would be very different if your timing to visit is not right since clouds would interfere with the diffused light seeping into the canyon.

LOWER ANTELOPE CANYON – Just as impressive as the Upper Antelope Canyon except it is longer and narrower and you had to go up and down steep steel ladders! Our group again was composed of mostly Europeans who were very attentive and interested in the history of the canyons. There was this young couple who kept stopping and the guy took a photo of his young female companion to the point where they were causing delays at they were blocking the narrow corridors. After many more photo ops by the guy, I approached them and asked (sarcastically), “Do you want me to take a picture of you both since I noticed that you’ve been photographing your friend here all the time?” Of course, they said NO.

Our fellow tourists coming out of the canyon’s “crack”.

Tomorrow we will drive to Moab, Utah and visit the Arches National Park for the second time!

One advantage we have over our friends and families in California is that Nevada is much closer to the country’s best natural rock formations that have been formed millions of years ago. Almost two year ago, we were able to visit several National Parks – Zion, Bryce Canyon, Yellowstone, Arches, Mount Rushmore and Sedona.and we totally enjoyed that road trip (there were ten of us and Trini and I were the only ones from Nevada). So we decided to go on our own and visit the famous Antelope Canyon inside the Navajo Reservation near Page, AZ.

We decided to start our trip on May 29, 2023, Monday, Memorial Day since we thought traffic would be lighter and most of the crowd have gone back home. We took our time and started before 9:00 am. Traffic was not heavy but there were several bottlenecks in I-15 due to road constructions. Luckily, my faithful and sexy GPS friend re-routed us to avoid most of the traffic and construction. We took our time and had a couple of “pit stops” – one in St George UT and the last one in Kanab AZ.

Glen Canyon Dam is the second highest concrete-arch dam in the United States, second only to Hoover Dam which stands at 726 feet. The 25.16 million acre-feet of water storage capacity in Lake Powell, created by Glen Canyon Dam, serves as a ‘bank account’ of water that is drawn on in times of drought. This stored water has made it possible to successfully weather extended dry periods by sustaining the needs of cities, industries, and agriculture throughout the West. 

After visiting Glen Canyon Dam we drove a few miles to see the famous Horseshoe Bend. There is a fee for vehicles, $10 for cars and RV’s. I showed my lifetime national parks access card to the Native American lady collecting the fees and she shyly smiled and apologized that my card was no good in the park (I knew that but I had to try anyway).

We walked about 3/4 mile to the Horseshoe Bend and the temperature was in the high 80’s although there was some breeze that helped cool us off. We saw these foolhardy folks taking photos just inches from the rim – there were no barriers, of course!

Horseshoe Bend is a horseshoe-shaped incised meander of the Colorado River located near the town of Page, Arizona, United States.^[1] It is also referred to as the “east rim of the Grand Canyon.”

Despite the signs, people still won’t heed them! It’s for your own safety, fools!

This morning we are going to the Upper Antelope Canyon ! Then we will visit the Lower Antelope Canyon this afternoon. I will try to capture the amazing colored wavy rock formations…..

Bergen is a city on Norway’s southwestern coast. It’s surrounded by mountains and fjords, including Sognefjord, the country’s longest and deepest. Bryggen features colorful wooden houses on the old wharf, once a center of the Hanseatic League’s trading empire. The Fløibanen Funicular goes up Fløyen Mountain for panoramic views and hiking trails. The Edvard Grieg House is where the renowned composer once lived. – Google

The Hanseatic League, also called Hansa, German Hanse, organization founded by north German towns and German merchant communities abroad to protect their mutual trading interests. The league dominated commercial activity in northern Europe from the 13th to the 15th century. This group includes the Netherlands, Finland, Denmark and Latvia.

In a hurry to catch our tour bus.

We arrived in Bergen after 16 long hours including the 4-hour lay over in Amsterdam, Netherlands. After a quick bite and a much needed hot shower, we went to bed. Tommy and Oya Holgado our friends accompanying us in this cruise arrived much later after 11:00 pm and we did not get to see them until the following morning when we all went to the city tour.

The temperature was in the low 30 degrees Fahrenheit and was cloudy. The streets were practically deserted except for a couple of diehard joggers and a few souls probably heading to work. As expected, we all donned our warmest winter garments to cope with the freezing temperature. The sun did peek a few times but was not enough to provide warmth to our shivering bodies (thank God for the warm clothings)!

Our tour guide was a pretty young German lady, Mia, who is finishing her master’s degree in Bergen. Although a German she was surprisingly very knowledgeable about the history of the city and the country itself!

Mia, our German tour guide beside a statue of Norway’s famous composer Edvard Grieg.

After we finished the tour, Trini and I, changed to our swim suits and headed to the almost empty spa (most of the cruisers are still doing excursions). Two hours in the relaxing sauna, jacuzzi, “ice’ room, and steam room rejuvenated our tired bodies. Tommy and Oya rested to recuperate from their lengthy travel and did not get enough sleep.

Hello friends and families! It’s almost a year since our last cruise in April 2022. Yes, that’s right, I don’t know how we were able to stay put that long without traveling but we did! We were supposed to go on a Mexican Riviera cruise with our friends-cruisers, Oya and Tommy Holgado but the cruise line company cancelled many of their booked cruises from September thru October due to severe staffing problems.

As I mentioned before we embarked on our South Atlantic cruise last year, we cancelled our Viking River cruise scheduled for December 2022 due to the invasion (Moscow to St. Petersburg) of Russia in Ukraine.

Trini and I will be flying to Bergen, Norway to meet with our dear friends – Oya and Tommy Holgado. We will be embarking aboard the Viking Venus ocean cruise line to start a 12-day trip around the Scandinavian country and will disembark in London where we will be staying two extra days before flying back to the U.S.

Norway is a Nordic country in norther Europe with a population of about 5.4 million. It is a constitutional monarchy. Harald V is currently the reigning monarch. We hope to learn a lot about the interesting history of the Vikings. I will write more about Norway as I take you along our trip.

As we all know, winter in the Scandinavian countries is brutally harsh! We’ve had very cold weather in Las Vegas the last week or so including snow flurries and strong winds which peaked at 80 miles per hour last night! However, I’m sure these will pale in comparison to the freezing temperatures of Norway, especially, the northern part where the maximum temperature in March is 26 degrees Fahrenheit.

We purchased winter clothings to cope with Norway’s freezing temperatures: thick parka jackets with fleece liners, merino wool base layers, thick woolen socks, warm gaiters, goretex gloves and mittens, knit caps, winter trousers and lots of chemical hand warmers! Hopefully, they will comfortably warm us when we go to the ship’s excursions learning more about Norway’s history and culture and most importantly during our search for the naturally occurring phenomenon – Aurora Borealis commonly known as the Northern Lights!

THE NORTHERN LIGHTS

I apologize for the delay in updating my blog, WIFI signal aboard the Viking was woefully slow that I could not download photos. I wanted to just write about our shore tours but that would have been extremely boring!

Anyhow, we flew back to the U.S., from Barcelona to Zurich, Switzerland where we took the connecting flight to Vegas (our friends Tommy and Oya Holgado flew to Los Angeles CA). We almost didn’t make our flights in Zurich due to a delay, luckily, the departure time was moved an hour ahead since there were so many passengers in our delayed flight.

It’s 2:15 am PST and my body is still getting used to the time difference. And the bad thing is I think I am coming down with “something”! Perhaps this is how my body is reacting to the 22-day cruise and travel time (and the excessive wine and splendid cuisine aboard the ship).

Anyway, it would be very remiss of me if I left my readers hanging in suspense if I didn’t finish my blog taking you vicariously to our travels!

VALENCIA is a very beautiful city and one of the busiest ports in the Mediterranean and the birthplace of the famous paella (a dish consisting of saffron-flavored rice, seafood, chicken, chorizo, vegetables, etc). Valencia was first founded by the Romans in 138 B.C. and boasts of a diverse medley of ancient buildings – from Gothic to Baroque to Romanesque styles. However, part of the city also boasts of ultra-modern architectural buildings that look more in place in a futuristic movie. (Trini and I have been to Valencia in February 2018 also with Viking).

Since our tour did not start until noon, Tommy, Oya, Trini and I decided to take the provided shuttle bus to go explore on our own. We’re glad we did since although it was cold and windy it wasn’t raining yet. We strolled the square located near the cathedral at Plaza de la Virgen, commonly known as “Seu“. We passed by the Palace of the Borgias (Spanish Borja) which was featured in Netflix – Borgia. They were a very powerful family during their time.

As most of the stores were still closed we went back to the ship. A few shops catering to tourists were open where we bought the usual take home things – magnets to stick in our fridge.

The ship’s tour started with the expected rain, light but steady, and lower temperature! We did some walking always wary of slippery old cobblestones. The stroll took us through narrow serpentine streets admiring very old buildings. The tour guide pointed out the narrowest apartment building in the world – only a few feet in width! We visited their market which we almost missed since they close at 3:00 pm. Siesta is mandatory!

BARCELONA is full of history, stunning architecture and a rich culture. It is also the Catalonian capital. I’ve visited this tantalizing city so many times while I was in the Navy, the fifth time since I retired from the military. However many times I set foot here I still feel a different vibe compared to other cities we’ve traveled all over the world! The Bohemian atmosphere permeates the air and the laid back cheery attitude of the people you see strolling about is so contagious it makes you just go into one of the open cafes and just sip coffee or wine (or both) and let the idle hours pass by! If you haven’t been to this eclectic metropolitan city, I strongly recommend you do before Father Time prevents you to do it.

Barcelona is also famous for its iconic Basilica of the Sagrada Familia. Started by Antoni Gaudi in 1882, the construction is still ongoing after almost a century and a half (the Egyptian Pyramids took less time to complete)! Pablo Picasso (see my Malaga blog) also spent part of his life in Barcelona.

There is also a tall statue of Christopher Columbus found at the end of La Rambla which I will not post since it might offend some of my readers due to the controversy surrounding his abusive treatment of Indigenous Americans. His statue was erected as a reminder that he reported to Queen Isabella I and King Ferdinand V in Barcelona after his first trip to the new continent.

The tour guide showed us the usual tourist spots around the city and the obligatory photo shoots around the Basilica. We didn’t go inside since it was not part of our excursion and you have to make a reservation in advance. Outside, a long line of tourists were eagerly waiting to see the interior of this colossal masterpiece by Gaudi. Trini and I are fortunate to have experienced this in 2018.

When the tour bus stopped near the Columbus statue, the Holgados and us, told the tour guide that we will get off and go on our own. She warned us to keep our wallets and backpacks in our front. We headed near the vicinity of the statue so I can visit the memorial of my shipmates (USS TRENTON was my ship; USS GUAM also had casualties) that died in a water collision with a Spanish vessel in 1977. Twenty-four Marines and sailors drowned when their liberty boat collided with the Spanish vessel. I visited this memorial twice already but for some reason I could not locate it again. I even went to the maritime museum and was given the direction to no avail.

Disappointed, we went to the famous La Rambla (most people call it in the plural Las Ramblas). This is a mile long tree-lined pedestrian boulevard (watch out for pickpockets!). We went to Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria. We took our time browsing the sidewalk shops and enjoyed people-watching. We reached the crowded market past noon and we were famished. Trini and I ate tapas in a tiny restaurant (Pinotxo) back in 2018 and we liked their tripas. That’s where we ended but had to wait until some seats were vacant. Finally, after the owner asked a couple of customers to move so they can accommodate all four of us together, we were seated. After the waiter/owner served us hard bread which he scooped with his bare hands (hopefully sanitized) from a wicker basket and unceremoniously dumped in front of us, we ordered marinated sardines. After savoring this dish slowly and dipping the bread in its oil to soften it, we ordered another dish – caracoles (escargot or snails!). We picked the snails’ meat with a toothpick and they were slightly rubbery but savory. Again, we swished our bread in its oil. By this time, we mastered this technique although I noticed the other diners didn’t do this. Next, we ordered a skewer of venison that was surprisingly tender and and not so gamey. We asked for more bread and ordered the pièce de résistance (not really the main dish since tapas are served individually) – tripas (tripes). Again, rubbery but delicious!

Hunger satiated, it was now time to shop for some pasalubong! Question: why do we always feel obligated to bring home stuff to giveaway even if you already have exceeded your baggage weight limit? You can even buy the same items in Costco for a cheaper price! Just kidding!

After aimlessly walking several miles, we took a taxi and went back to the ship. We rested a little bit then went to dinner and said our farewell to the restaurant staff who treated us daily like royalty (this also included the housekeepers)! That night, I wrote my survey regarding our cruise. Obviously, I wrote appropriate evaluations for those who deserved it and was honest enough to point out what can be improved. By the way, gratuities are charged to your room automatically but we still went around giving a few bucks to those we felt deserved a little bit more. You can tell how much they appreciated this small gesture. To lessen our baggage weight, Trini and Oya gave away stuff that we weren’t able to consume or use like granola bars, mixed nuts, shampoo and conditioner.

We recognized not only the Filipinos but also deserving hardworking individuals from Zimbabwe, Indonesia, and India. We wished them all Good Luck and hope to see them again in our future Viking cruises! FAIR WINDS AND FOLLOWING SEAS!

To all those who followed my blog, thank you very much for making it worth my time and effort to vicariously share with you our passion in life – TRAVELING!

Until our next travel, my friends! Stay safe always and enjoy life to its fullest….

Málaga is a municipality of Spain, capital of the Province of Málaga, in the autonomous community of Andalusia. With a population of 578,460 in 2020, it is the second-most populous city in Andalusia after Seville and the sixth most populous in Spain. It lies on the Costa del Sol (Coast of the Sun) of the Mediterranean, about 100 kilometres (62.14 miles) east of the Strait of Gibraltar and about 130 km (80.78 mi) north of Africa. (Wikipedia)

Most of Spain was under Roman and Moorish rule as evidenced by its distinct architecture. After the fall of the Roman Empire, most of Iberia came under the Moors. The archaeological remains and monuments from the Phoenician, Roman, Arabic and Christian eras make the historic center of the city an “open museum”, displaying its history of nearly 3,000 years.

Our tour started with a crisp salty breeze that women would consider “bad hair day“! The temperature was in the high-50 degree Fahrenheit and sunny; however, as the day progressed El Sol was hiding that it was necessary to put our jackets back on again. But this did not deter the tourists and families from eating al fresco enjoying tapas y vino. It was a Sunday so there were a lot of people just wandering about even though most shops were closed.

Pablo Picasso was a prolific artist, producing both classical and innovative works, including painting, prints, ceramics, sculpture and experimental forms. He helped developed cubism.

We wandered around the city meandering through its narrow cobblestoned streets. We spotted a tiny restaurant advertising tapas. A gentleman whose name is also Carlos welcomed us and luckily he spoke English (like most business owners). We ordered three types of tapas (fish, adobo and octopus) and bread. The place was empty when we went in but soon was packed and everyone was standing with barely an inch to move about. We finished our tapas and paid the bill and left as fast as we can as we were not comfortable with so many unmasked customers around!

During our exploration of the city, we saw many of the ship’s crew that was able to go ashore before going back aboard to resume their duties as waiters/waitresses, housekeepers, bartenders, cooks, etc. I will try to talk more about these hardworking folks and their sacrifices so they can earn a living at the expense of separating from their loved ones for months or even years at a time. By the way, we’ve been on different cruise ships and it is not a coincidence that the majority of the crew come from the Philippines. They are very industrious, smart and speak English fluently and are skilled seamen.

Shopping is mandatory for Trini and Oya. They browsed the colorful scarves and other female accoutrements while Tommy and I stood around watching and admiring the stylishly fashionable senoritas pass by. The delicious aroma emanating from bakery shops was irresistible that we couldn’t help but go in and try free samples of their products (no, we didn’t buy any, we decided to wait until Barcelona).

Our bus and walking tour took more than three hours taking us to the scenic and historic spots of the beautiful ciudad. It has certainly evolved into a modern metropolitan city since I last set foot more than 40 years ago. Unfortunately, our elderly female tour guide seemed to be suffering from COPD that it was difficult to understand her accented English due to her raspy wheezing voice. She also was not physically fit to walk as we obviously did not go to some parts of some spots that fellow cruisers from another bus visited. The tour guide also was quick to light a cigarette whenever she had a chance.

As I write this blog in bed, the ship is rolling and yawing so bad due to the high waves that Trini was scared to go eat in the restaurant as it was difficult to walk on the deck. So we ordered room service for lunch and may have to do that for dinner again. We are at sea again and will arrive in Valencia (home of the famous paella) tomorrow morning.

As a side note, the Spanish actor, Antonio Banderas is also from Malaga.

Known as the “Garden Island” for its rich agriculture, terraced hillsides and beautiful flowers, the Portuguese island of Madeira is an enchanting Atlantic paradise. With fertile volcanic soils and a temperate year-round climate, it is a horticulturalist’s dream. The island’s ubiquitous irrigation aqueducts, or levadas were dug into the steep hillsides so that early farmers could make use of every patch of land. It was an amazing early engineering feat. It was hard to believe that the tiny island was able to plant bananas, grapes and other agricultural products! There were no vacant land between houses – every inch was planted mostly with grapes or bananas! The houses with elegant wrought-iron balconies were overflowing with flowers. It truly is a “Hidden Gem in the Atlantic”!

Our tour bus took us to the highest elevation on the island and were able to enjoy the awesome panoramic view of Funchal! We stood on a glass floor looking down below the steep cliffs of Cabo Girao – one of the highest cliffs in the world! They served us Poncha – a traditional alcoholic drink from the island of Madeira, made with aguardente de cana (distilled alcohol made from sugar cane juice), honey, sugar, and either orange juice or lemon juice. I tried it and it was a very strong drink! The tour guide was right, after you drink three small glasses of this potent mix you start speaking Portuguese!

After the 3-hour bus tour around the southern part of the island, we were given a choice – stay and explore the city on your own or go back to the ship? It was a perfect walking day, the temperature was in the mid-60 degrees and sunny! Most people stayed to immerse themselves in the unique culture of the island. Our group walked to Sao Sebastian’s cathedral then decided to try the local cuisine as it was nearing noon already and we only had light breakfast.

Next we visited the local market as it was a Friday (market day on Friday and Saturday). Colorful flowers were on display all over; tropical fruits I’ve never seen; and of course, the Madeira Fortified wine I bought the dry one to bring home). We bought a strange looking tiny orange fruits which the vendor claimed tasted like cherries – they did not! We also bought a couple of cherimoya and ripe mangoes which we ate sitting on a bench.

The night before we arrived in Madeira, we were treated aboard the ship with a sensational performance by one of the ship’s assistant cruise director – Carl Ignacio, a Filipino with an amazing voice! He was accompanied by the all-Filipino Viking Band! Their performance was so dazzling – pop, rock, and musical theater classics – that the audience gave them a standing ovation and wanted more! Carl Ignacio also sang a Pinoy song along with Maria and Zee of the Viking Band which kept the guests clapping.

Tomorrow we will be crossing the Strait of Gibraltar which separates the Atlantic Ocean from the Mediterranean Sea. We will visit one of my favorite ports when I was in the navy – Malaga! I will finally get to eat Spanish tapas again!

(Note: I am having difficulty updating my blog and uploading photos due to weak WiF signali. I will try to update you as much as the free WIFI will allow me.)

After nine days of cruising the Atlantic Ocean we finally docked in Praia, Ilha de Santiago, Cape Verde! As I mentioned earlier in my blogs, we are being entertained and nourished quite well aboard the Viking and with so many activities (or inactivities) boredom was not really an issue. However, we are creatures who are more comfortable with both feet on firm ground. And I did yell “Land ahoy” when I saw we were nearing land.

Cape Verde or Cabo Verde, officially the Republic of Cabo Verde, is an archipelago and island country in the central Atlantic Ocean off the western coast of Africa, consisting of ten volcanic islands with a combined land area of about 4,033 square kilometers. The official language is Portuguese as it was once a colony of Portugal. It is comprised of ten small islands. Most people of Cape Verde are Creole, or of mixed white and black descent due to the history of slavery.

We had two ports to visit in Cape Verde. The first one was Praia, the capital of the archipelago country. We went to the included tour (meaning it was FREE) and walked to explore the Old Town. We passed by the Palace of the President and saw some soldiers marching. We browsed their local markets. Cape Verde is considered a third world country and barely could grow its own agricultural products, most have to be imported as all the islands are volcanic. Our bus took us to the imposing Sao Felipe Royal Fortress.

The ship pulled out at 5:00 pm and sailed to our next destination overnight. We pulled in in the port of Mindelo, Cape Verde at 6:00 am. I noticed immediately the contrast between Praia and Mindelo while the ship was pulling into port and this was confirmed when we went to the tour – Mindelo is a cleaner and more vibrant city. The streets wider and there seemed to be more activity going on around. Of course, they have the same numbers of sidewalk vendors hawking their products ranging from clothes to electronic gadgets to food products. Praia vendors sold more fruits and vegetables whereas Mindelo vendors sold more fish.

We admired the rugged beauty of Sao Vicente during our panoramic excursion. Our comfortable tour bus agonizingly worked its way up the summit of Monte Verde (even though the elevation was only 2,441 feet it was steep). The slow drive to the top though was worth it! We were rewarded with an amazing view of the low lying mountains, the multi-colored city and the turquoise water of the Atlantic Ocean.

After the excursion, Trini and I decided to enjoy the luxurious spa onboard the Viking taking advantage of the peace and quiet since most guests were ashore. We totally enjoyed again for the third time the sauna, steam room, ice room, and whirlpool. After the walking tour we needed this to soothe and relax our tired muscles and joints.

We have to prioritize which meeting to attend first – Alcoholics Anonymous or Overeaters Anonymous. I kid you not. We probably eat and consume alcohol like the ancient Romans did – maybe I’m exaggerating but we’re pretty close!

The ports we visited so far may not have met our expectations but like the ship’s cruise director said – “With open hearts and open minds, you will always be welcome wherever you go”, and with that advise, we are looking forward to our next port – Madeira (Funchal), Portugal!