October 30, 2023

A short visit into Valencia today for your favorite cruise bloggers.  The ship’s shuttle into town was 25 Euros each, a price which we eschewed for the port’s free shuttle to an area promised with shops, displays, crafts, souvenirs, and other stuff.  A nice ride out, inside a well-made building, up the escalator to the shop.  Yes, shop.  One.  And there we bought a bag of regular potato chips.  JAMM Kids, your mom tried on a number of hats, most of them looked like the should be turned upside down and used as flower pots.  Fortunately, she didn’t like any.  And then we went back downstairs to a nice café where she had a hot chocolate and I had a Coffee Americano.  Then we rode back to the ship for a light lunch, a nap, and I rehearsed for my talk on Cadiz tomorrow while Bonnie crocheted.

But let’s back up a few hours.  After sleeping until almost 8 o’clock, we went up to the Wind Jammer for breakfast.  It was very crowded, and finally we found two empty places.  There was a table for 4 side-by-side with a table for 2.  A young couple from Germany and their son, maybe 18 months old joined us.  We had a pleasant meal, talking, watching the little guy play with cars, eat some bites and close his lips tightly when his mom tried to shovel some other goodies into him.  He smiled and laughed and was quite pleasant.

Dad asked me where we are from.  I told him, Georgia.  He said he had been listening to my accent and wondered where we were from.  He said my voice reminded him of a man on a TV program who worked in a bar.  He couldn’t remember the actor or the show, so I asked him if the man was a good guy or a bad guy.  I was assured that my voice doppleganger was a good guy.  The ship has an “international ambassador” who gives announcements in Spanish and German.  Our table mate said he understood every word I said, but the ambassador gives the announcements in German, he can barely understand half of what he is saying.

Tonight at our table for 6 in the dining room there were only 2, Bonnie and I.  The other speaking couple had said they didn’t come to dinner every night, and the young couple from Fort Lauderdale had requested a table for two which they got tonight.

Then we went to the outdoor water show HiRO, a high energy show with jumping thumping music and incredible actors, acrobats, swimmers and high divers.  In the first two rows of the outdoor water theater, you would get soaking wet.  As it was, 6 rows back from the water, we still got some spray and splash.  Towards the end of the night, the announcer said there was a technical difficulty, but they would conclude the show soon.  I was turning into a popsicle, outside in 69 degree weather, getting sprayed with cold water, mom hadn’t worn a sweater and we’d had enough.  Beautiful show, but next time, turn on the heat (small humor).

One more thing before bedtime (an early rising in the morning for my first talk, this one about Cadiz, and starting at 9:30).  I’ve heard about the speed on the German Autobahn, and the accidents that can happen.  I don’t think the vehicle in the pictures below were from an accident, but an old-timey VW Bug is sure in a small package (the sculpture is as tall I am).

Until tomorrow.

TTFN