Vigo This Way!

"Vigo" this way to the Atlantic Ocean!  Most cruise ships make a stop here at this jumping off point to sail West as you have gone North from the Rock and are at the closest point to England unless you go up level from Calais but then you have a longer said to get past the UK.  In Vigo you are on top of Portugal close to the point where western Spain meets western France.  IF this was a longer cruise you might stop in Lisbon like our last one did.  But then the crossing of the Bay of Biscaye is even rougher trying to go Northwest instead of more levelly West.

Speaking of sailing west from the Rock of Gibraltar, I must say it would have been nice to spend a little less time in Malaga and sailed past this icon in daylight instead of at a quarter to eleven at night!  Last time I passed by it, it was one in the morning.  So maybe third time will be the charm.  Or better yet, we will stop there and have a great tour!   Elva had gone down to the cabin but Carol and I were sitting by the ‘fire place’ (water vapors and lights as fire is the number one no-no at sea} when the Staff Captain came up to the Explorers Lounge and let us know we were ahead of schedule.  He even held the door and we could go out and see the full span of it as a negative space against the light of the night sky and the nearby town.  Really amazing whenever and however it is seen.  This point where Europe and Africa broke from their embrace and linger to be near to each other.

So now in Vigo we once again set out, this time before the sun was up at nine in the morning!  Not sure why the sun rises so late but then again it is the 48^th Parallel and that is even with Quebec!  By the time we reached, you guessed it, the scenic overview, the sun was making for great light effects on the Roman fort perched high above the city!  The small fortress was critical in the 'reconquestation' of Moorish Spain by the Christians.  The old fort was a real treat.  A beautiful fountain in the center of what probably once was just a stone wall with soldiers living in tents in the middle.  Reconquestation is not a word I ever heard in my life, I believe, until I was in Portugal this past fall.  It seems to be the descriptively correct word as translated from the Spanish.

Sunrise at the fort.

 

The wall of the fort.

Strategically Vigo was coveted by everyone from Francis Drake to Napoleon.  It is part of Galicia and Galician is the second official language and quite a blend different from typical Spanish which could be Castilian or even Catalonian.   I think at home we learn a more Mexican Spanish.  Vigo is a fishing city and ships fresh fish or more correctly, probably, freshly frozen fish around the world.  If you have recently eaten Octopus it probably came from here as have the Mussels and Scallops.  Wooden platforms in the estuary are specifically for farming these Crustaceans and Bivalves.

The cathedral had an interesting story.  One of the Romanesque bell towers was not finished.  From this town of Malaga a young soldier by the name of Galva had gone to America to help fight the Revolutionary War.  He was quite successful and I am sure if I research a little or ask Uncle Google about him he will be evident.  At one point he wrote to the mayor of Malaga to ask for more money to help the Colonists against the enemy of Spain, England.  The mayor said we don’t have any as it has been hard times here but I will ask the Bishop.  He is building the new Cathedral and must have money.  The Bishop said, well if I don’t finish the tower I can send the money to Galva to help against the King of England.  And so he did and the tower remained incomplete as now there were no more funds.  And this folks, is why we have the city of Galveston!

Again in the town was a Roman amphitheater on a very small scale and another small fortress.  While some people hit the shopping street we three walked all the way up to where the new town began.  Deciding that there was not much else of interest to see in the short time remaining, we three Charlie’s Angels returned to the ship with the tour instead of taking the shuttle.  Have I mentioned that on the ship one of the waiter’s referred to us that way and now even staff has picked up on that moniker for us!

Sail away was at two and we enjoyed some time on our balcony as we left the mainland Europe behind and headed to Portsmouth and my favorite country outside the USA – England!  The Port talk today was given by Helga and she is much more straight forward than Dora and not nearly as entertaining.  Very good job but concise and risking no giggling. 

Again we did the early show of Drew’s concert.  For the first time he added in Bohemian Rhapsody since the movie had been played each week in the Star Theater.  Certainly a good job even on the high notes.  Maybe the tight leather pants helped! A café dinner and puzzling.  I went back to the cabin and the disembarkation notice was there.  Elva’s info was correct but mine was not so I immediately went to guest services to see if it could be corrected.   Stewart sent an email to Shore Excursions who were not on duty then.  He also changed my seat on the non-stop flight to a port window which I like.  I think the flight is pretty full.  I prefer a window to an aisle.  Less bumping into one by passengers, flight attendants and the meal or beverage carts.  I don’t mind climbing over people to use the rest room and to just walk up and down for a while.

By now it was 11 p.m. so I stopped at the bar for a cup of tea and soon I had joined the crowd around the piano for What a Wonderful World.  Peter was leaning on his cane and leading the song with a beautiful tenor voice.  What a wonderful way to end the evening!