It's a Cumbrian cream tea!

Saturday has been the most "mixed" day so far, typical cruising I suppose. We awoke at 7.00am just as we were docking at Barcelona, a clear morning, deep blue sky, and a large port with 3 cruise liners already berthed.We had booked a coach-trip called Panoramic Barcelona, and we left the ship at 9.30am and joined our coach for the 3 hours ride around the centre and outskirts of this ancient city. It's a clean and beautiful place mixing the Roman, with Medieval, with Gothic and modern. Wide boulevards just like Paris and separated by the narrow lanes preserving older architecture. The work of Gaudi is everywhere especially in the houses he designed for the very wealthy. We visited the marinas and the beaches of the city (they created the beaches after the 1992 Olympics), the olympic village and two of the sites where the 1888 and 1929 World Exhibitions were held. Back on board for 12.45, a light lunch followed by som Wii 10 pin bowling and the usual quiz in Brodies Bar. Afternoon tea as usual was held in the Peninsula Room, a light Darjeeling accompanying the crab sandwiches, crumpets and scones. Thankfully today we didn't have the bloke from Exeter (Devon) telling us we were putting the jam and cream wrong way round on the scone. I suppose that one day a civil war will break out over this between Devon and Cornwall! He also seemed mortified that I put butter on the scone until I told him this was a Cumbrian Tea, so #**# off!

The ship set sail from Barcelona at 5.30pm and it's traditional to have a "sailaway party" as the Captain casts off and often has a series of tight turns and manoevres to perform to get out of dock. These parties are held on the upper outside decks and usually a lot of singing, dancing and general ##*ing around, often by members of the Entertainments Crew. Tonight was hilarious with a gang of 8 of them doing a dance that had to be performed in time to the music and the passengers clapping; so, the faster the clapping and music the faster they had to dance. It was called something like Americana or Americano, a bit like the old "Birdie song", (come on Shaz help me out here!). But, in the sunset the departure was very atmospheric.

After a cocktail or two in The Planet Bar we failed to get a seat for the Comedy-Magician, so had a few more cocktails before going to see the musical show "New York Swing", an excellent show based on a NY theme obviously with lots of songs and tunes from the 1940's to 1960's with a new York theme.

So, to bed, and looking forward to Toulon tomorrow and our coach trip down the French Riviera.