Another busy port, with an earlier arrival than expected so a fair bit of external noise from passing ships and we berthed on the starboard side – whilst the two other cruise ships berthed on the same dock, were on their port side.
Once again, a repeat port for us and another hot day in prospect so heading ashore and onto the shuttle bus before some shops were open. The normal opening time for many of them is 10am. The shuttle bus seemed to be having transmission issues as the driver seemed unable to select the higher gears, so perhaps as well it was just doing a shuttle run and not a tour.
The drop off point was as previous year’s and where the HoHo buses stop (two companies), a short walk from the Columbus monument and the lower end of La Rambla. For those who haven’t been before, La Rambla is pedestrianised down the centre, with stalls all the way along it, but a traffic lane on either side means you effectively have two streets in one.
On the main street, one or two shops were still closed as it wasn’t quite 10am but one that had a good window display of jewellery was just opening and we’d spied an item we wanted. Whilst Paula was still occupied, even after I’d bought her the pendant in the last photograph, I wandered to the small café next door and the proprietor must have been a mind reader, as I was offered a taste of the most delicious apricot sorbet. It was too early to take a full scoop.
We crossed over and into the food market. Once again, a magnificent display of produce, meat, fruits and vegetables and also confectionery. Although it isn’t in any of the pictures, one had beautiful marzipan creations depicting a KFC bucket of chicken and chips!
On our way back, to that small café and this time, I did get a scoop of the apricot sorbet. It even had small chunks of dried apricot in it. Probably the tastiest sorbet I have ever had.
La Rambla does at least have some shade but not many places to sit and rest.
Once again, we just ambled back to the shuttle stop and both thought the same. Pizza! We didn’t need to show photo ID again, although we were carrying it, but this time, the metal detector must have been set lower, as most guys had to remove their belts. That was a first for this trip. So once on board, straight up to Café Corniche, and a welcome calzone (with added pepperoni) for me and a pizza for Paula.
Afternoon quiz we had a mixed team. Laura and John, with Dave and Sandie. We didn’t win. Off then to the atrium for coffee and then Paula retired to settle down to watch Wimbledon. After Federer’s win, up to the buffet.
A fairly seafood based meal for me, with a couple of scallops, grilled fish, prawns and crab cakes – plus a slice of turkey - again!
The chef was cooking crepes – one at a time – slowly – so I asked for a waffle instead as it was quicker. Topped with my choices of blueberry compote, rhubarb and banana compotes, I had to go searching for sour cream. Strange that they do fresh cream for breakfast waffles, but not for dessert.
Paula went back to the cabin and I delivered our disembarkation paperwork to the front desk. I excused us from the dinner table to june and Elain, who are always in the atrium on deck 7 before 7:45pm dinner and I went to the theatre to check out the early performance from the back of the theatre – and book another dance lesson for Paula, with Denys for 9:30pm!
Leaving Djokovich fighting back, from 2 sets down, the attraction of dancing with Denys was Paula’s priority, so up to the theatre.
So engrossed in the dancing and chatting to Lauren, that the houselights were dimmed as CD Peter walked on stage to introduce the act before we were seated. Kym Purling was the pianist and had a nice story to tell, (a Vietnamese orphan, adopted by an Australian family) but apart from an excellent rendition of Maple Leaf Rag at the correct speed, his other stuff was a little bit too jazzy for our tastes.
A sea day tomorrow and a renewed Djokovich match, which may not favour him as Anderson will have recovered, but fingers crossed.
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