Med Cruise 2023: Ports of Call

Barcelona

The cab driver from the airport to my hotel ripped me off for 20 euros. There's no 20 euro surcharge. I should have paid 21 euros to my hotel. Next time I will be sure, and know to push back harder. Dishonest cabbies aside,I really loved Barcelona. I thought the vibe and the sense of history were wonderful. 

 

The hotel was well located, although the rooms were quite small. One of its other attractions was the rooftop jacuzzi with a lovely view over the city. 

 I spent sometime wandering in the La Rambla neighbourhood, with its back alleys and funky shops. I found a nice place to get tapas, and made a nice dinner of cava and crispy eggplant. 

The driver to the port charged the correct amount, so all's well that ends well.

Valencia

I didn't get off the ship here, as I was still jetlagged, it was pouring rain, and I didn't have any particular place to be. And I know I'm coming back to Spain. 

Ibiza

I loved Ibiza. I had checked on a few things before we hit port, so I knew i wanted to take the water taxi instead of the bus. Not only was it cheaper, it also was an open air boat as opposed to a big enclosed bus. It was a bit of a hike from the cruise pier, though.

 

Again,  I had just wanted to wander around. I developed the goal of having a glass of the local bubbles and a snack at a cafe in each port. I loved the fact that smoking didn't seem to be permitted on the patios here. The place I selected gave me a lovely presentation of manchego,  my favourite cheese, and two glasses of a friendly little cava. 

Ajaccio

Corsica was full of lovely little alleys full of nifty shops and cafes. I wasn't really sure where to stop until I passed a cafe that was playing La Vie en Rose. 

Naturally, I sat down. They were out of sparkling, so I ordered a red wine, and a chantilly cream crepe. It may be commonplace for natives, but it was the best crepe this little Canadian ever tasted. Divinely eggy, thin, and topped with yummy cream.

La Spezia

I missed Portofino due to my ineptitude on the dance floor, so La Spezia was my first foray into Italy. As luck would have it, it was a holiday, so only the tourist area was really open. There was a trolley tour close to the port, so I jumped onboard to have a look around.

Civitivecchia

This was debarkation, so I didn't really see anything except the port and the view from the bus on my way to the airport in Rome.

In case you've wondered if Mickey is still travelling with me.

The flight home was fairly standard for Air Transat Club Class: good service, but no lie flats 

Coming soon: Virgin Voyages Scarlet Lady, my Virgin Voyage.