Retirement with No Problem

P&O’s Oceana docked at Grand Canaria, Canary Islands

No, I am not on NP.  I know I have an opportunity to find some wifi at Grand Canaria, so the night before we arrive I am writing this to be able to post it in the morning (today), if you see what I mean..

More a picture blog for you this time, I know the family want some!

We left on Sunday evening from Southampton docks..

In days gone past when I was very much younger I couldn’t pass Fawley without being very sea sick.  Living on a narrowboat has changed all that, the gentle sway of NP has stopped all that even in the roughest of seas.  Fawley then at sunset on day one…

Our first port of call would be Lisbon in Spain, so we had a couple of days at sea including crossing the dreaded Bay of Biscay.  But all was well, never have I known it so calm!  Valentines came along and as usual I gave Sir his card..

I wasn’t going to bother this trip, you know what it is like, been there etc got the tee shirt, but daughter Wends gave me a card at the weekend to give him.. OK will do. Normally I buy a card, give it to him, he then takes it, signs it and puts it back in the envelope and writes a message..

Not this time

Wendie had set us up!  To both of us “Here is a card, shhhhh” To us both!  Hence the matching cards!

And so to Lisbon where we climbed aboard the ‘hop on hop off’ bus which I had already booked online before we went.  Hop off we did for lunch passing a hot chestnut seller..

Wends, you would have died for this!  A bit of shopping too before hopping back on to enjoy the tour around the city.. Next port of all was Caditz where we booked a tour with P&O to go see the Spanish School of Riding, an offshoot of the real thing at Vienna.  An hour and a half show of the Andalusian Horses put through their paces, that was fantastic.  No pics allowed there but I got a quicky before they started..

Also included in the tour was a visit to one of the many sherry making farms in the area.

I hate sherry, I really hate it, but it was thrown in so had to go!  Well we were shepherded around like lost sheep.  Most will know that is defo not my scene.  What with ‘ol deaf ear Sir.. “What did she say” every five minutes I had had enough..  “Lets go outside and have our picnic”  I had made one this morning from the self service restaurant!

As we were sitting there we were questioned as to why we weren’t with the rest.. “Oh, OK, would you like to look at the horses and stables?”

WOW the owner of this vast sherry producing unit was seriously rich.. 10 or 12 beautiful black horses out the back and more in the fields.. the stables were superb and a grand tour for us to boot!..

A flit quick across the sea took us to Morocco, Casablanca actually…

A dawn arrival.  We had decided not to go ashore here.. The town is very dirty compared to British standards and it isn’t entirely a safe part of the world right now, so we had a very enjoyable day aboard sunning ourselves and getting a good tan.. It looks like Sir in July!..

Hey look at this German Cruise ship.. Taken as we left just after sunset..

I just love the face on the front!..

So a day at sea today, and more warm sunshine, a far cry from leaving NP in the ice.  Canary Islands next, I am looking forward to a few stops there, should be good..

Managed to upload all the pics to date here in Grand Canaria while supping a lubbly pint!Link to Gallery here