54 Days on the Moon

[Quickstatus]

Again, @drron, you excel at photos with no one in the foreground....

 

[stm1sydney]

Casablanca looks like a coughhole.

 

[craven morehead]

54 Days on the Moon to mark 60 years since the film 55 Days in Peking was released. I enjoyed it then and even more so now having met someone who was there for the Boxer Rebellion.
We had a good time in Portugal although with a few hiccups. Great treatment by the 5 hotels we stayed in.

A really amazing embarkation experience. Left the Intercontinental by taxi just after 1pm. The taxi driver missed the entrance to the cruise port twice so the second time we got out of the taxi on the road in front of the terminal.Not far to the SilverSea baggage collection and then upstairs to fill in the health questionnaire and photo taken.
Downstairs again and a short walk to the Moon. From the time we got out of the taxi to the time we completed formalities at the top of the gangplank was 30 minutes. Then straight to the Panorama lounge for a drink. At 2pm they announced the suites were ready.




When we got to our suite we knew they knew who we were.




There was the usual orchid and champagne.




Mrsdron was having trouble connecting to the internet so was heading for the wi fi consultant in Dolce Vita when she met the butler from our last voyage on the Dawn who brought her back to the cabin and fixed it quickly. No wonder we love SilverSea.

Sailing along with this TR

 

[RooFlyer]

Casablanca looks like a coughhole.

It is!

 

[zig]

It'll probably become evident over the TR, but typically, how much does the menu change at La Terraza in the course of a cruise (I mean typically of SilverSea)? The other restaurants? Does it change 'regionally'? Or just a kitchen that varies its menu.

I just disembarked from Wind. La Terrazzo changed its menu minimally every 7 days. It was generally the main courses, ie fish, meat and some pasta dishes that changed. The appetisers, gelato, cheese etc seemed to stay the same.
The main dining room also changed the evening menu changed some items each night - these were the recommended dishes listed first on the menu, usually 2 appetisers, 1 main and 1 dessert. The remainder of the menu changed every 7 days, with some items always being available, eg steaks, lobster.
At lunch there was usually a theme setup on the pool deck, or moved to the main dining room if the weather wasn't suitable. We had Indian, Seafood extravaganza, German, Pub Lunch etc.
The Grill lunch and dinner menus don't change.

 

[drron]

Back to the Square where you cold see the old 11th century fort. But also Roman ruins including a theatre. Alas to get all of this the whole of the old Jewish quarter was destroyed,

















Now walking towards the Picasso Museum.






Now our guide said this restaurant Pimpi was the best in Malaga.







Now the original Cathedral built over a mosque.

 

[drron]

This church does incorporate muslim features with the minaret becoming the bell tower.























And now into the Picasso museum.

 

[drron]

Picasso paining done at age 13


And at 16.

 

[drron]

 

[drron]

More of the museum.

 

[drron]

 

[drron]

Back outside it is nearly noon when on Sundays admission is free. The line is starting to get very long. But although admission is free there is not that much room inside and the experience is likely to be much poorer.

 

[drron]

So now off to a restaurant for some wine and Tapas. on the way a stop at the Cathedral

 

[drron]

For palm Sunday.







The Bishops house.

 

[drron]

We continue to walk.

 

[drron]

Now at the restaurant. Lots of wines but no choice apart from white or red. I had the red which was OK.














Back to the bus.Quite a bit of graffiti.

 

[drron]

Back to the Moon.











And the US Navy.

 

[drron]

Finally a win at Trivia. With the putting at ;east I received 1 point for a hole in one.
Dinner at the Grill. Turned out to be a great night with service being perfect. Six servers throughout and all from a different country. Particularly impressed with a fellow from Zimbabwe on is first contract but had worked at the Royal Livingstone hotel for several years.

The other was an Indian fellow only 4 weeks into his first contract. Quite reserved at first but opened up as we talked. At the end he thanked us for chatting to him. Made my day.

So to the meal and the menu.







You get a plate of corn chips and dips to start.








And the wines of the night with Mrsdrron enjoying the white and I the red.




I started with the spicy Mexican salad which wasn't spicy but still acceptable and Mrsdrron the Caesar salad.








The rocks were delivered and then the meat. Lamb chops for Rojaan and the rib eye for me.

 

[drron]

All yummy. I had the sweet potato fries and mushrooms as sides.



I cooked mine a fraction too much.

We both had the cheesecake for sweets.






The windows were filthy so had to move to see the sunset after finishing our meal.

 

[drron]

Our neighbour left later that night.


To be replaced early that morning by an Oceania ship and a ferry.



Now the excursion left at 8am so I just had fruit in the room for breakfast.Mrsdrronhip was playing up so she decided on a rest day.
It was sunrise as we departed Malaga.