Our last two Spanish ports were A Coruña and Bilbao.
I can’t complain too much about the weather being rainy in A
Coruña and Santiago de Compostela since we generally have had great weather.
Well, actually I can complain, but probably nobody’s going to listen because,
after all, we ARE travelling all around Spain, England, Istanbul, and Europe.
Who’s going to give me any sympathy whatsoever?
But it was rainy and cold all day while we were in Santiago
de Compostela but I did learn that a shirt, light vest and rain jacket kept me
quite comfortable. We pretty much just followed our guide around the town,
spoke to some pilgrims (yes, there are actually still pilgrims making the trip
to Santiago de Compostela, and they come from all over the world. We also
learned that there are signs in the streets—that is IN the streets—in many if
not all cities in Spain directing them in the direction of Santiago de
Compostela.
The day after, May 1, we went to Bilbao and better weather and
another private tour organized by people from Cruise Critic. Unfortunately we
did not get to spend a great deal of time in the Guggenheim Museum. Why not,
you may wonder.
The tour guide, Aitor, was pretty good on knowledge of
Bilbao. He was pretty bad on management of the tour. That, coupled with The Two
in our group of nine who had their own ideas of what THEY wanted to do—which
had nothing to do with the stated purpose of the tour: to see the historic
Bilbao and go to the Guggenheim—made the tour go somewhat awry.
The guide did not stop for three and a half hours. No
bathroom break, no coffee break, nothing. When we did finally get to a beautiful
and historic square and we seven suggested a short stop for coffee (lots of
neat coffee shops around a very historic and beautiful plaza), The Two said no,
let’s get to the Guggenheim, there’s a food court there. As if a food court at
a museum is a match in atmosphere to the plaza in old Bilbao! So off we marched
to the Guggenheim to have something to eat and drink while The Two went to
another museum for an hour. So we cooled our heels OUTSIDE the Guggenheim
waiting for them to get back from their museum. The guide changed our group
tickets’ time (so that we all—including The Two—could go in together) to 2:30. FIVE
hours after he picked us up at the ship! And The Two left us after a short time
in the Guggenheim because they were bored with the guide.
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| Outside the Guggenheim, a semi-selfie |
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| Nice puppy! |
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| We were only able to take photos in a few places. I have no words to describe this "art" display! |
By 3:15pm I was just too exhausted to continue so we went
back to the shuttle. To compound our misery, the buses were not coordinated
well and we had to wait an hour in line to get on a bus. Our last stop in Spain
and it was pretty much not a great day.
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| Part of the line waiting for the shuttle back to the ship. Glad we had the beverage manager right in front of us. They might leave without US, but they wouldn't leave without HIM! |
May 2 was a stop in Portland (Weymouth), England, a first
for Holland America (as was Bilbao). We chose to just walk around town rather
than go on one of the five buses headed to Stonehenge (we’ll go to Avebury
later and maybe Stonehenge). Lovely little British town, hopefully much like
the ones we’ll see in the Cotswolds. We found some friends (thank you, Cruise
Critic!) and stopped for some wonderful British beer and then headed back to the
ship to—sob!—pack for tomorrow’s disembarkation.
A last comment to those on Cruise Critic: CC is wonderful!
But one needs to be careful. Please, if you organize a tour, get the money from
the participants at the first opportunity—the first Meet and Greet, if
possible. If you don’t you run the risk that what happened to us will happen to
you. Two participants in one of my tours couldn’t find the meeting place (which
was right outside the terminal). They waited five (!) minutes, then left. We
waited 45 minutes for them, thus shortening our tour, then left on the tour.
They refused to pay me for the tour, but the tour company demanded that they be
paid for so Randy and I are out about $160 for them. Moral? Trust but verify!
And get the money up front. I’m pretty sure the couple would have made more of
an effort if we had their money already.
Sorry that this episode is not more cheerful, but the end of
the trip has been a bit of a downer.
Moving on! We’re headed to a B&B, Badger’s Hall in
Chipping Campden tomorrow and we are both looking forward to the days ahead.
Perhaps not to driving on the left, but certainly to the days to come. It may
even stop raining! We sat right behind the driver of the bus in Portland and it
was an eyeopener, to say the least. Especially when we are thinking PIG
(Passenger in Gutter) and the Brits park facing the wrong way! Very, very
disconcerting!
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| Our little group |
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| John Adams spent time in Bilbao. Who knew? |
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| Bilbao was hosting a convention of mountaineers |
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| The subway entrances, like much of Bilbao, are very modern |
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| Not as many as Amsterdam, but a lot, nonetheless |
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| And I always thought it was Rioja wine |
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| This is a bar with a way to make a donation in honor of the Virgin Mary (note the tiny slot for coins leftover after you have paid for your libations and still have money left! |
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| Beautiful doors in the churches |
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| And room to meet after church but under cover if it's raining |
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| The shell that points the way for the pilgrims on their way to Santiago de Campostelo |
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| Pilgrims often wear a seashell on their packs to identify them to others. |
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| A market in Bilbao |
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| Mushrooms of all kinds and prices---up to 30 euros a kilo |
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| No comment |
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| Nor here |
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| A VERY small elevator from one street to another (.45 euro up and another .45 euro down) |
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| The shell that shows the way for the pilgrims |
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| Typical street scene |
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| Where is a martini when I need it? |
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| Flowers are everywhere! |
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| Sailing out of Bilbao, our last stop in Spain |
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