Bonjour, Bonsoir

Yesterday we were so exhausted from being up for almost two whole days getting from Victoria BC to the ship in Barcelona. Our last flight from Toronto to Barcelona was cancelled and reschedule for 24 hours.

It is our first full day on the ship, after an interrupted night sleep, 9 hours ahead of our home town time-zone. Mary took in the small art gallery, we both visited Internet Cafe and I booked just a 60 minute internet package so I could check for any messages through facebook or email. Several other guests were playing cards, and dominoes in the “The Living Room”. Mary found a very comfortable couch and seating area on 10th floor, great for people watching!

Mary tried a margarita yesterday, today says Pina Colada was more for her. We have found the best decaf coffee on deck 9 in the buffet area, “Windows Cafe”, so we lingered for another one ….

I attended Seminar at Sea this morning for travel agents to be immersed in the Azamara brand. As this is my 5th Azamara cruise, I am catching up on the current trends and changes that Azamara is and will be offering to the guests. One of the other agents on the cruise works in Berwick Nova Scotia, and another in Kentville! The gal from Berwick lived in the yellow building, second residence of apartments where my mother lives on Woodman Road …. incredible coincidence, it is their first Azamara tour and they are delighted.

Mary, my lovely roommate has Virgin phone plan and is able to receive text messages. Nothing happening on my incoming, so decided to purchase an internet package and check my three accounts associated with my two business and my gmail account. If you are writing to me and don’t hear back it is because I am conserving my wifi minutes. Perhaps on shore days, in ports of call, I will find a Starbucks to connect and try to write you back :). I will take my phone and check facebook also, and post if I get the chance.

One of the people I met this morning was in Barcelona for a day pre-cruise and a stranger came up from behind her (she was with her husband and a few other people), grabbed the cell phone out of her hand, ran off and disappeared. Other people had purse snatch experiences as well and shared. We were supposed to visit Barcelona but due to the flight cancellation we only had time to bring taxi to ship from airport. I have stayed in Barcelona in the past.

It is beautiful outside today, sunshine, some white caps, deep blue sea. Mary and I are sitting outside on the veranda, enjoying a cocktail drink, it is after lunch. We are looking for whales or dolphins, I saw one jump three times this morning, magnificent and enjoyable to view. Three dolphins just entertained us, slapping their bodies on the water, as they land on the sea surface. Another pod of 5 dolphins just breached and danced in the waves, waving at us? The constant wave sounds as they dance in rhythm hosting on the silver-blue with white definitions, long tall cargo ships always at the distance. It feels like heaven to me.

We are starting to plan for tomorrow. Port city of Cadiz Spain is the closest port city for Seville. Mary and I will plan to walk around Cadiz. We found a copy of a map (legend in Spanish) of Cadiz, and Azamara tips for traveling in Cadiz. The “Mappa di Cadice: prepared by Ayuntamiento de Cadiz, Delegacion Municipal de Turismo”. Looks like lots of old churches and beaches dot the shore line and it appears there is a promenade to follow around walking. Beaches called “Le spiagge-Praias “. It will be nice to do some walking and exploring. We will search for an Internet cafe or hopefully a Starbucks to take a rest, post this blog, check email and check-in with facebook. Tonight at dinner we met two lovely women, Rachel and Monica, a mother daughter couple who live in Alaska. They will join us tomorrow to walk around town.

We talked about meaningful issues tonight at dinner in Discoveries, main dining venue on the ship. The food was great and the new friends, delightful.

Reading some on this trip. Chapter 57 “Rock of Ages: Le Mont Saint Michel, Normandy” from the ebook 100 Places in France Every Woman Should Go, by author Marcia deSanctis. This is the second trip to France where I have read and re-read some chapters to guide my travels. Her writing is sublime, easy to read and descriptive, like a taste experience of a glorious meal. France comes alive in her narrative choice of words and phrases that excites every part of the woman for whom this collection was written. She writes about France, “France is diverse, sprawling, magnificent, flush with architecture, culture, style, royalty and religion, soaked in sauce Béarnaise and Bordeaux reds.” Oui!