Gibraltar, Lisbon and advice you probably don't care about.

April 12 Day 100 More for the history buffs.

Gibraltar and the Rock

Gibraltar, gateway to the Mediterranean (or the Atlantic depending on your course) is only 2.5 square miles and a population of 30,000 most of whom live on the west side, facing Algeciras Bay. It is one of the most densely populated areas in the world with approximately 10,9979 people per square mile. It has no rivers, lakes or other sources of water so a large desalinization plant has been built to replace it's cisterns. Salt water, however, is used to flush the toilets.

Gibraltar is a limestone mountain with nowhere to go for expansion so much of the present usable land in Gibraltar is reclaimed and large complexes of housing units have been built and continue to be built. Living is very expensive in Gibraltar but the medical and educational benefits are very good. According to our guide, the crime rate is very low, people do not lock their cars or doors, there are no racial or religious problems and life is good.

Gibraltar has a long history. There is evidence that Stone Age tribes lived in Gibraltar’s caves but the earliest recorded history points to a Greek settlement. A human scull was found in Gibraltar that predates Neanderthal man. Some people believe that Scylla and Charybdis of the Odyssey were Rock of Gibraltar and Mont Abyla in Morocco.

According to Greek legend, the Mediterranean and Atlantic were separated by a large mountain. Hercules punched a hole in the mountain and opened up the seas to each other. Hence, the Pillars of Hercules. The Phoenicians are supposed to have erected a tall slender pillar on each shore. The pillars reflected the sun and moon light to let sailors know they were leaving the Mediterranean and venturing into the unknown.

The American Revolution inspired a French-Spanish expedition to reclaim Gibraltar. What resulted was a four year siege during which tunnels were built into the "rock."
The maze is one of the most ingenious defense systems ever built. Built by hand with picks, shovels and gunpowder (there was no dynamite) the first tunnel was built by 18 soldiers who tunneled 82 feet into the limestone in 6 weeks. Vents were cut into the tunnel for air and light. The vents were later adapted as gun mounts. By the end of the siege in 1783 the tunnel was 370 feet long.

During WWII when it looked like Malta might fall, Winston Churchill decided that since the tunnel system had worked so well before , it would be expanded. Work was not going fast enough so the Royal Engineers of Canada who had developed a new system called diamond head drilling were called to help During WWII the tunnels and chambers held two hospitals, truck storage areas, supply areas, communication rooms, etc. At the present time there are 30 miles of tunnels.


Gibraltar has an airport. It is under the control of the RAF but commercial planes land several times a day. The runway is very, very, very short with the road connecting Spain and Gibraltar crossing it. When a plane is due to land or take off barriers come down across the road, traffic stops, and the plane uses the runway.

Because of our short day in Gibraltar we choose a 3.5 hour Holland American tour called Upper Rock Walking Tour. HAL rates its tours with little walking men icons. Our Gibraltar tour rated three men, or "strenuous activity, walking long distances over uneven and steep terrain or on steps." Unfortunately, there is always someone on a tour who doesn't heed the warning and either slows down the rest of us or has to return to the bus.
Of course they are the people who almost knock you down rushing to the bus from the ship to claim the front seat.

I wish we had worn pedometers as we walked and walked and walked. And most of it was uphill or down, on wet, slippery uneven stones. In tunnels about 51/2 feet high or on mountaintops. Or the top of the Rock.

Our tour took us up the cable car, a very steep ride, to the top of the rock. There we encountered the famed Barbary Apes. Not really apes, they are tailless monkeys with no fear of humans. Warning signs are everywhere telling you not to feed the monkeys and not to carry plastic bags which the monkeys associate with food. The worst offenders are the cab drivers who carry fruit to coax the little creatures over so you can take a picture with a monkey jumping on your shoulder . We did not feed the monkeys!

From the summit we walked (at varying speeds) down to St. Michael's Cave where we admired the stalagmites and stalactites. More than 140 caves have been found on Gibraltar. One of the largest and most famous is St. Michael's.

One large portion of the Cave was hollowed out and used as a hospital area during the WWII. That section is now a theatre where plays and musicals are given as well as where Miss Gibraltar is crowned. The theatre can also be rented for dinner parties.

From St. Michael's Cave and the inevitable gift shop with tacky souvenirs we re-boarded the bus and headed for the siege caves. The streets in Gibraltar are so narrow and winding that the buses were quite small and held only 18 people. The bus dropped us off (our choice) "downtown" where we wandered the streets (and shops) before walking the mile plus back to the ship. Church had just gotten out and the main street or pedestrian mall was filled with families from grandparents to small children all dress in their Sunday best----suits and ties on the men, Mary Jane's and dresses on the little girls and similar attire for everyone else. It was reminiscent of America in the 1940s.

The weather was beautiful...warm and sunny with quite a breeze. At 3:00 pm we set sail for the Atlantic and Lisbon.

Monday, April 14. Lisbon

To paraphrase the song...."101 days of fun" are behind us as we visit our last port in Europe. Unless you count Madera Island which is in the Atlantic off Africa.

Lisbon is the capital and largest city of Portugal with 3.34 million people living in the metropolitan area. The Roman ruled Lisbon as did a series of German tribes. In 711, the Moors crossed the Mediterranean and captured the city. However in 1147 Crusaders conquered the city of the Christians. Moorish influence, especially in some of the architecture is still evident.

Like Rome, Lisbon was built of 7 hills. In 1755 an earthquake struck the city and demolished most of it, killing 40,000 people, 1/4 of the population. It was rebuilt in a grid pattern, very different from the twisting, contorted streets of the old sections such as the Alfama.

Not all of Lisbon's art is in museums (closed on Mondays when we were there), but on houses and the sidewalks. Many sidewalk and streets are paved with black and white tiles in floral and geometric designs. The facades of houses and some commercial buildings are also covered in tile in various patterns and designs.

Lisbon is located up the Tagus River so the sail in was interesting (although early). Once docked we took the provided shuttle to the Praca Do Comercio, a large square with the obligatory hero on a horse, and a beautiful arch into the Baixa area. Along with a few other Holland America friends we decided on the hop/on/off shuttle bus---not free as in some cities but 14 or 17 euros. Having dressed for later in the day when it warmed up, we were a bit chilly on the top level of the bus, especially when in the shade or along the harbor. As the bus passed under several trees we had to duck to avoid being whacked with branches. As usual, we didn't hop off until we had returned to our starting point.

Along the route, we saw statutes of just about every significant Portuguese explorer or King, including Prince Henry the Navigator, the man responsible for Portugal's Golden Age of Discovery. Henry himself never went to sea but his interest in navigation lead to much exploration.

Lisbon's tourists attractions include the Tower of Belem, a five story structure that resembles either a chess piece or a small castle. It was built on an island in the middle of the Tagus River in the mid-16th century and on the top is Our Lady of Safe Homecoming as a welcoming beacon for seafarers. Before a voyage, sailors would spend the night praying at the 16 century Jeronimos Monastery. The Tower of Belem would be the last thing they saw when sailing out and the first upon their return. Over the years, the river between the shore and the Tower had filled in so the structure now stands on the riverbank.

The Jeronimos Monastery was built with "pepper money", a 5% tax on spices brought in from India.

Beside the Tower is an interesting new monument, the monument to the Discoveries, built to commemorate the 500th anniversary of the death of Henry the Navigator. Once controversial the monument represents a caravel with figures of prominent explorers along the side. And speaking of caravels, many of the light posts have a small golden caravel or sailing ship on the top.

After our bus trip we wandered the Braixa, and met our Toronto friends, Mike and Frank. They reminded us of the old Moorish section, the Alfama, topped by the Castelo de Sao Jorge, built by the Visigoths in the 15th century and enlarged by the Moors in the 9th.

Off we went....up a steep warren of Medieval alleys, up literally hundreds of rough, worn stone steps, until with legs of rubber, aching calves and winded beyond belief, we reached the Casteldo, and if casteldo mean castle we thought of it as a fortress. Once in the fort, it was more stairs until we were at the topmost rampart or whatever it is called with a breathtaking view of the tiny Amsterdam, orange tiled rooftops and the inevitable laundry hanging out on balconies. If you ever go to the Casteldo remember, seniors get in free but they don't advertise it.

After returning to the ship, we were on deck for the sail-away which included passing under the 25 April bridge and past the statute of Christ the Redeemer. The bridge, formerly the Salazar Bridge, has a span of 1/2 miles and when built was Europe's longest. Over time it has been expended with extra lanes and last year a rail line was added under the traffic lanes. A second bridge, the Vasco deGama is newer and further upriver.

We’re still having trouble believing that we are seeing so many things and places and learning (or re-learning) so much history. It’s been over 100 days now and people are taking of packing, getting home, and some, their next world cruise, but we are still fascinated and want more. If it wasn’t for family and friends, I would be happy spending a few hours at Coldwater Creek, Bealls and Wal-Mart and I’d be ready to go again. Of course I’d have some suggestions on ports and the time spent in them.

Tomorrow is a sea day, then Funchal, Madeira, a little bit of Portugal in the Atlantic.

Tuesday, April 15. At sea. Tax day but no one has mentioned it.

This entry is for all of you who suffered through the planning, shopping and packing for the trip. And advice for anyone contemplating a long cruise.

Unless you’re going on a very pricey, very fancy cruise line don’t worry too much about formal nights. Yes, some people dress beautifully and extremely expensively but it isn’t necessary unless it’s what you want. There is a great deal of black worn and great many black skirts or pants with various tops. We had almost 30 formal nights and rather than dress up, we changed into something nicer than what we wear all day and ate in the Lido. The ship asks that you respect the dress code all evening but unless you are in jeans and a sweatshirt (slight exaggeration) no one pays much attention.
Day time dress can be very casual. Many people work out and appear at meals in the Lido in their workout clothes or bathing suits with a wrap over.
Take comfortable shoes! Shore trips can be brutal on feet. There is a lot of walking over uneven, sometimes slippery surfaces. Handrails on stairs are the exception on shore trips. My sandals are about worn out. I’m hoping they will make it back to the states.
Take a lightweight jacket. And a fleece jacket. Unless you are going to be in only the tropics it can get chilly. Or downright cold.
Don’t worry about what you wear or what you look like. In the morning (and the rest of the day) there are women who don’t have a hair out of place, are made up like they’re ready for a screen test and have on outfits that cost as much as my entire wardrobe. And then there is the woman with the rollers under a scarf type thing. And the women in their cotton house dresses who look like they are cooking for the ranch hands. Most of the passengers are in the middle...dressed the way most of us do at home.
Don’t bring too much costume jewelry. There are so many fun pieces to buy in most ports.
If anyone is balking at wearing a dinner jacket, a dark suit or sports coat will do. Or go to a tuxedo place after prom or wedding season and save a few dollars.
Learn the metric system. You don’t have to be a whiz at it, just be able to calculate a few things.
Learn to use an eastern toilet. Take tissues with you at all times. Have change for the public toilets or the attendants.
Don’t worry about letting your table mates down if you want to eat in the Lido (or whatever the buffet is called) or even skip dinner. Half the time you’ll see them in the Lido. We’ve noticed that as the cruise progresses the Lido is getting more popular.
Don’t take a hair dryer, shampoo or soap.
Get the laundry service. It’s expensive but worth it. Unless you go at some unreasonable hour of the morning or night it will be crowded. There are more arguments in the laundry room than in the Oval Office. The laundry room has an iron so you can touch up formal wear or badly wrinkled stuff.
Bring plenty of pens. They wear out fast. Bring post its for reminders and notes on the mirrors.
Print address labels for grandchildren, etc., that you will be sending postcards.
Take a lap top! Compose e-mails and blogs off line. When you go online they will be there and you won’t spend valuable and expensive minutes writing.
Click on read for your e-mail but don’t read it until you are off line. Then read it, replay and go back on line.
If it isn’t on the menu wherever you eat, ask. Also, if you are at all fussy, ask to see the next days menu as you finish dinner. That is the time to request something not on the menu.
Celebrate birthdays, anniversaries, etc., in the dining room. Even someone else’s. Tell your head waiter the night before. You get a cake, plus can order desert.
Keep the radio in your cabin on the ship’s station with the volume way down. Once in a while there is an announcement and you won’t hear it if you’re not in a public area.
Grin and bear the life boat drills. We’ve had FOUR. Don’t be the first one there or you’ll be squashed in the back.
Find out from your cabin steward where the ice machine is. If you want a drink in your cabin before dinner, the morning’s ice will be pretty much melted.
Take several of the little plastic baskets you can pick up in dollar stores. They are great for putting on the window sill (if you have an outside cabin) or in drawers to hold pens, camera batteries, jewelry, etc.
Grab an extra laundry basket from the steward and put it under the bathroom sink for dirty laundry.
Take a couple of copies of your passport. And driver’s license.
Make sure your computer has all the programs in it that you might need. We went off with a new laptop and stupidly didn’t install Picassa and other programs we use all the time.
Put friends and neighbor’s addresses in your laptop. Saves on carrying an address book.
Keep a journal. Or blog. Don’t get too far behind.
Take several DVDs, CDs, or thumb drives. Put a copy of your photos on them.
Take more camera batteries than you think you’ll need. Double the amount. The same with memory cards. We wanted an additional memory card and they were $40-50 in the countries we checked.
Take two large tubes of toothpaste. Or put a date on a new one at home and see how long it lasts.
Half fill your suitcases. You won’t believe the stuff you’ll buy. On long cruises you get “gifts” that are usually heavy and take up a fair amount of room.
If you are planning on going on an overland trip, take an electrical converter. We didn’t, didn’t think and blew out a battery charger.
Most cruise lines allow you to bring wine on board for consumption in your cabin. Buy screw top wine bottles, drink the contents, save the bottle and fill with gin or vodka or whatever.
Start early investigating shore trips. Read the cruise line brochure carefully. We’ve found out (probably should have known anyway) that Panoramic usually means you don’t go inside places and might or might not stop to take pictures. Is lunch included? Entrance fees. Going on an overland. If you are willing to take a chance, book with an outside agency and save at least half the cost.
Take energy or granola bars. They keep well, don’t take up much room and are handy on bus trips or when you’re on your own and don’t want to spend sightseeing time on a lengthy and maybe to heavy a meal.
Don’t take too many books. Most ships have libraries, passengers share and there isn’t much time to read.
Take a light sweater or shawl to the theatre.
Print this out for your upcoming world cruise.
Don’t buy the professional photos until you’ve seen several. Let them take all they want. You don’t have to buy them.