NOW WE HAVE DONE THIS A LITTLE BACKWARDS - YOU NEED TO READ 1ST FIRST THEN 2ND THEN 3RD FOR THE ROYAL CARIBBEAN - SORRY GUYS - SO DON'T READ THIS ONE FIRST - GO BACK TO POST ROYAL CARIBBEAN 1.
3rd Port of Call – Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
3rd Port of Call – Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
We had just crossed the Atlantic Ocean, and sailed across the equator during our 6 continuous days at sea – see posting on ship life for more information. E must add that we lost an hour a day for four days – another thing that makes ship life go way too fast!! With our new found friends and the help of all the English tours being cancelled due to not having enough people wanting to attend we decided to tour the island of Tenerife ourselves – just the 8 of us!!!!
We quickly realised that we were a large group with no idea on how to explore the island as the initial plan of hiring a car for the day was now infinitely more difficult as we were too large a group to fit in a standard car and people movers were not readily available.
There were a few need to do things, firstly find an ATM that would accept visa and get out some local currency - Euros – this made Caroljn and Roel ecstatic as it was the first sign that they were getting closer to home, Roel was so happy to be using “their” money again; he could almost smell Holland. First item achieved – money. Next on the list was an internet café, the internet on board the ship was extortion (one of the only unsatisfactory things on the Vision of the Seas) $0.65 per minute. There were packages you could purchase that made the rate/minute slightly less, but with the slow rate of access time clocks over very quickly and you can end up with a $60 bill after answering a few emails.
Internet café located and for the reasonable cost of 1 euro for ½ an hour many of us settled down to do a quick check of the emails and booking accommodation for Portugal. We decided at this time to split up and investigate the shops in the area for an hour or two before all meeting back at the internet café, when we would do a tour of Tenerife via the “Big Red Bus” the ‘hop on, hop off’ tour buses that you find in most capital cities.
We all ‘hopped on’ board the tour bus, for an interesting 1 hour tour of the city of Tenerife (see photos). About 50 minutes in we lost Caroljn and Roel to a toilet stop (drinking beer does that to you Roel!!) and promises that they would find us at the markets later, Dave, Patrick, Elona and I then ‘hopped off’ in search of lunch and the elusive $10 Rolex watch Dave had promised we would find in Tenerife, Keith and Lin headed back to the ship for a relaxing afternoon by the pool.
From here ensued a little disappointment as we realised that Tenerife was actually Spain and these people have a siesta and every bloody thing shuts!! We found a little bar that we could get some lunch and beers – see photos. From here with heads hung down in disappointment, as our promised Rolex watches were nowhere to be found we headed back to the ship!
4th Port of Call – Lanzarote Canary Islands Spain
We actually made it onto a tour – are you excited??? – well the truth is the boring English people obviously don’t like tours so once again we were informed of a cancellation of the English tour and were we interested in doing one in German or Spanish. Well Spanish it was because we were really keen on doing a camel ride!!!!! What we didn’t know was that the camel part of the trip was 15 minutes out of a 3 and half hour tour!!!! Oh well – still fun and the rest of the tour was very interesting even if a lot of the time the tour lady swapped from Spanish to Portuguese because the majority of course were Brazilians!!!! Have to say though if any of the kiddies from school are reading this – I have learnt that having to concentrate on a language, translate it and enjoy the environment has to be one of the most exhausting things I’ve done to my brain and I will be a better teacher because of it – sorry kids!! See photos for details because this little place is just amazing.
After this tour we headed back to the ship for – YES!!!!! – time by the pool to nap and read!
Last Port of Call – Cadiz Spain
Time flies when you are having fun – can you believe we are almost to the end of the cruise – we couldn’t. We tried to book onto one of the English speaking tours for Cadiz – but it was cancelled due to lack of interest, so we switched to another one and it to was cancelled due to lack of attendance.
It was all okay Nancy, Gene, Elona and I decided to navigate Cadiz on our own. We had a beautiful day with blue skies and a gentle breeze. The four of us set off around 10am and strolled through the parks, flea markets and esplanades of Cadiz. Shared a lovely coffee at a tree sculpture park and saw the most amazing pond with ducks and dinosaurs. See Photos.
We were back on the ship for an early as the ship left port at 3pm to ensure we were in Lisbon, Portugal for 6am the next morning.
Carlijn, Roel and Elona making friends with the locals in Tenerife
Window shopping was easy with choices like this dress!
UGLY!!
View of our ship from the beachside plaza
local shops
Entrance to the markets - unfortunately we arrived at siesta time and they were just closing the gates:(
This statue is a tribute to the many women and children who have lost their fathers and husbands to the sea. Well that's the story we came up with as we have no real idea why this statue of a pregnant women in obvious agony is placed at the harbour.
Street scene from the top of our red tour bus - interesting buildings
and lots of lush gardenscapes and plants
and interesting artworks
line most of the streets both residential and commercial in Tenerife.
Some of the homes are huge - this is a residence to a government official.
Another cool building
Carlijn and Roel departed for a pit stop - too many beers will do that guys!!
Local cultural centre
Elona found herself a black man with a nice arse.
Isn't he lovely!! (Elona)
Lunch of Kings, prawns (shrimp), chips (fries) and beer (same in any English language)
Though the prawns having difficulty deciding if they were Australian prawns or Spanish Shrimp
Flag shot. We were very surprised when after we produced our Australian flag the waiter quickly produced a Spanish flag of his own.
Panoramic view of Tenerife as we were sailing away from the port.
Next Spanish port in the Canary Islands is Lanzarote. Largely a volcanic island and a very interesting place to visit.
Most of the landscape is volcanic rock and active volcanoes though they have not had and eruption since 1824.
The first stop on our "Spanish" (though most of it was in Portugese) tour was the camel ride.
Camels being part of the same family as Alpacas - you can imagine Elona's delight at getting up close and personal,
I on the other hand am vary about the "spitting" nature of the camel
Though my trepidation was short lived.
The seesaw nature of the seating arrangements made things a little precarious to start with - all was better once the camel was up and moving and handy sand bags.
Camel guides watching with amusement as all us passengers get situated on our camels
Rogelio - our hairdresser from the ship
Most camels had a rest time until the next tour group arrived.
He looks a little dejected doesn't he?
(Elona typing now)
Our very funny camel driver who would creep up behind you whilst on the camel and
pinch your butt to make it feel like the camel behind is biting you!
As you can see they travel quite close to one another
This camel was a little temperamental and really wanted to lead hence got a little close and personal
with the lady in front - she was not impressed!!
The scenery is very unique
It has it's own beauty though
See this is one I'd like to paint!!
Don't they sit funny - they have the weirdest legs they kind of fold
both ways like having plastic knees or something?!?!
Again the different colours of the volcanic rock makes you feel a little
like you're on a different planet!
This is one of the volcanic bricks used to build part of the restaurant
Interesting decor in the cafe
This is the symbol for the area - he's a little devil
A cute one though
This is one of the holes that lava came up out of
An active volcano crater
This is the only foliage you see - little bushes dotted here and there
Another painting waiting to happen
This is a closer look at the little bushes that grow in this area
Just amazing that people can live here!!
This is a government car with the whole areas logo not just the national park devil
This is the view of the restaurant from a distance - it's the only thing in the national park
This is a vineyard believe it or not!! The vines are all separate and are
dug down to protect them from the wind and from drying out
This is the vineyard
The cute cafe attached to the vineyard
The cellars at the vineyard where we got to sample some wines -
we have to say they weren't fabulous.
Another shot of the cellar
Here we are wine tasting!!
Nice way to store corks :) That's a bit of volcanic rock - it's everywhere!
Lots of these around as well
Okay back at the shops - Megs eyeing the hats!
Here'a a big one!
Isn't it lovely?!
This ones my favourite!
lots to buy at the souvenir shop but photos take up less space
And would you believe we found something with Meg's name on it?
The camel is big attraction and adorns the front of many books.
I have bought a couple of camels to add to the family!!
Flamenco dresses on display
Camel lollipops - we bought one for each for Nancy and Gene because they
didn't do the camel ride!
You can buy crap anywhere really!
Nice stuff too though :)
The salt farm
This is the coastline - not much beach but some beautiful coastline
See!!
Some nice blow holes too
Megs next to the beautiful blue water
A natural bridge
Reminds me a little of Red Rock this one does!
The panoramic view
Megs getting some height for a better shot
Our first view of Cadiz - a lovely monument dedicated to the constitution
I know a little boring but they are such nice lamps and they line the entire coast where the wall is
The said wall
A local church
Palm Sunday Church decor
Can you see the flag
Beautiful beach
With the most amazing buildings on the beach itself
Right - this chick obviously died at home if you believe the whole hoof thing.
Lots of corner buildings
There's one of those lamps again
How cute is this - easy to park I would think
Megs on a lovely colourful bench in a beautiful park next to the coast
Same park - it had many varieties of trees
Again
And again
I can't remember - this is why take photos of what's written under them Elona!!
Nice doorway
Nancy with flag
He does look a little like Jimmy Buffett don't you think?????
This is another park where we found a dinosaur display in and amongst a wonderful waterfall -
this one took a liking to Megs
He also grabbed Gene!!
This ducks are in for it for sure!!
This is the lovely waterfall
With dinosaurs no less!
You can walk underneath in the cave area or walk on top of the falls
yes crocs as well
This is from inside looking out
These are the lovely buildings right on the beach
Nice shot of Megs
Another nice shot of Megs
I like the whole doorway thing
Nancy and Megs nearing the end of our walk around the town
Busy street being Palm Sunday but not much open
But of course there was an Irish Pub!!!!
Nice door - buenos knockers!!!
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