Silversea Water Cooler: Welcome!

[UKCruiseJeff]

JP, Tapas and Cava ...... and of course whenever possible .... the longest sunniest afternoon possible ... with nice people to share it with .....

 

I guess we're so lucky to be in Europe for this sort of thing. We've had several tapas safaris which were ostensibly for work but with friends / clients. They were all a blur.

 

If coolies ever feel like a tapas safari then these things can be organised.

 

:)

[jpalbny]

I just made or shall I say started two five liter jars of preserved lemons. My Meyer lemon tree is losing its fruit and leaves, and I believe is succumbing to some fatal fruit tree disease. Fortunately it doesn't effect the taste of the fruit.

I have never made preserved lemons. Once my office staff tried to make limoncello with the lemons, but it was awful.

So we will see about this attempt.

If it works I will have enough to supply an army.

 

Preserved lemons sound great! What's your recipe? I have seen them called for in a few recipes but you will have a ton of them, for sure.

 

JP, Tapas and Cava ...... and of course whenever possible .... the longest sunniest afternoon possible ... with nice people to share it with .....

 

I guess we're so lucky to be in Europe for this sort of thing. We've had several tapas safaris which were ostensibly for work but with friends / clients. They were all a blur.

 

If coolies ever feel like a tapas safari then these things can be organised.

 

:)

 

We're in! We had so much fun in Paris this past Christmas that we are thinking about somewhere in Spain this year.

[jpalbny]

Paris, 12/16 continued:

 

Thanks for identifying the parakeets. Now I hope I don't get psittacosis...

 

We left the Luxembourg Gardens and walked up to St Sulpice. Here they have a nice courtyard with a ferocious-looking lion guarding the fountain. Inside the church is the gnomon that was referred to as a meridian line in the Da Vinci Code (incorrectly). There is a detailed description in French about the inaccuracy, but they make you buy a book for E5 if you want that description in English...

 

 

We visited another church (St Germain-en-Pres) then took the Metro to Montparnasse. Time to visit the tower - this one had an elevator, and no lines!

Nice view from the top:

 

 

And here is St Sulpice, from the tower. Nice overview - you can see that the south tower was never finished (the one on the right in this view).

 

 

One more Metro ride to the area where the catacombs are - but the line to enter is wrapping all the way around the block! We decided to not bother with this, and went to lunch instead. Veal stew, steak frites, and a nice carafe of wine beats standing in the cold and wind to wait in line any day, and remember, we are here to relax and soak up the whole experience.

 

 

I got by with my rudimentary French again and the server was very pleased with my efforts. This is fun! From our table, we had a great view of the end of the line for the catacombs. It didn't get any shorter while we were eating so no visit there for us today.

 

Back to the Metro, and off to a few more outdoor places as long as the weather holds. We saw the Arenes de Lutece, which wasn't much - a few tiers of an old Roman theatre, nestled in between modern buildings. We walked a little more and visited the Jardin des Plantes - this was a very strange lion statue. Is he sniffing someone's feet?

 

 

The rest of the Jardin wasn't too exciting but it was a nice stroll. Across the river, our next stop was Place de la Bastile.

[TLCOhio]

We had so much fun in Paris this past Christmas that we are thinking about somewhere in Spain this year.

 

Super love the added pictures and details from your Christmas trip to Paris. Especially the darling pictures of your lovely wife. Looking to do Spain next year? Then, I would strongly suggest Barcelona. We've visited there twice and super loved that city's charm, character, history, architecture, food, people, style, etc.

 

Below are just a few of my visual samples to help sell this idea/potential. More below on the live/blog that I did in 2011 while visiting before and after our Med cruise.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. We are now at 191,441 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

 

 

For Barcelona, one of the most famous sites is its main and historic Cathedral that is over 700-years old and right around the corner from our Hotel Regincia Colon. It is also near where you catch the hop-on buses circling the town.:

 

 

 

Barcelona has many apartment building with interesting architectural details. Here the iron railings are wonderfully designed with a local lady taking a look as we passed below on the top level of our hop-on bus as we traveled all over this historic and interesting city with great character, charm and innovative design.:

 

 

 

Our first night in Barcelona, included wonderful tapas and a spectacular paella in a small dining place near our hotel. It is named Neyras in the neighborhood of Sant Pere Santa Caterina i la Ribera with an address of Laietana, 41. Here is the lady preparing some of the food.:

 

 

 

Here is a night view of Gaudi's Palau Guell taken from under the glass and iron entrance to the Hotel Gaudi that is immediately across the street from this mansion. Unique angle that plays off of the designs for both places. It was Gaudi’s first major work in Barcelona. Pictures tell part of the story. You have to see it to believe his genius. It is a mansion designed for the Catalan industrial tycoon Eusebi Guell. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí".:

 

 

 

Before boarding our ship, we visited Barcelona's famed Mercat La Boqueria and had breakfast here. WOW!!! It is easy to see why this popular Boqueria Market is not to be missed. It has a wide range of fresh meats, cheeses, produce and delicious food options to enjoy. Here is one of the beautifully stock fruit stands and a busy breakfast stand in the market.:

 

 

 

[UKCruiseJeff]

Hi JP and Terry,

 

Re some observations on starting points ....

 

No right destination is right for everyone and we know Barcelona and Palma best and Madrid in third as the prime tapas places to visit. Lot's of other smaller city options but these are I think the main three. To be honest we won't be returning to either Madrid or Barcelona. From the Tapas Safari point fo view I think Terry's last picture illustrates one of the issues for us in that when you go to a tapas bar in Barcelona then you will mostly be sitting with other tourists and we don't really travel for that. Madrid, frankly we just didn't like.

 

Oddly the best of the three where we have been dozens of times is Palma and it really is an improving city. Part of the reason why we choose Palma is the hotel we use ... an old palace renovated with no expense spared and no real hope of ever getting a return. The place we use is

 

Palacio Ca Sa Galesa in Palma de Mallorca.

 

 

 

It is the old pedestrianized part of Palma and everything is a walk away. It is an oasis where the hotel is a part of thedestination. The owner has an extraordinary collection of Joan Miro art on the walls.

 

A few years ago we were on an SS cruise with some friends and I wanted them to see this place so that the four of us could come back for a weekend with them having seen it. I contacted the hotel and asked them if they could welcome us and put on a small buffet and some cava which they did and then refused any cash. My friend coincidently has an office in Barcelona and he said how much he liked Palma when making comparisons.

 

When wifey and I stay there like to sit on the roof in the late evening overlook the cathedral with several bottles of Cava. It's all help yourself and write it down there. Within short walks are lot's of tapas places and great places to eat. So of the options partly compromising on tapas bar numbers we would go for Palma - which also gives some decent day trip possibilities as well.

 

These are just a few of our own piccies taken inside .... and keep in mind that this oasis is in the center of Palma ...

 

 

Jeff

[TLCOhio]

Hi JP and Terry, No right destination is right for everyone and we know Barcelona and Palma best and Madrid in third as the prime tapas places to visit. Lot's of other smaller city options but these are I think the main three. To be honest we won't be returning to either Madrid or Barcelona. From the Tapas Safari point fo view I think Terry's last picture illustrates one of the issues for us in that when you go to a tapas bar in Barcelona then you will mostly be sitting with other tourists and we don't really travel for that. Madrid, frankly we just didn't like. Oddly the best of the three where we have been dozens of times is Palma and it really is an improving city. Part of the reason why we choose Palma is the hotel we use ... an old palace renovated with no expense spared and no real hope of ever getting a return. Jeff

 

Appreciate the wonderful comments and visuals about Palma. Looks great and interesting!! Have not been there, but it sounds like a wonderful location to have on the future "to-do" list. While we have not done that much in Madrid for some of its "just a big, busy city" factors, we super loved our time in nearby and historic Toledo and Segovia in 1998. Also, visited and like Seville. Lots of great option in Spain.

 

As noted, you've got to pick what best "fits" your personal interests and needs.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Enjoyed a 14-day Celebrity Solstice, Jan. 20-Feb. 3, 2014, Sydney to Auckland adventure, getting a big sampling for the wonders of "down under” before and after this cruise. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1974139

for more info and pictures of these amazing sights in this great part of the world. Now at 91,251 views for this posting.

[TLCOhio]

Terrykins, You are going to have a (Super) Great time on your cruise. You are lucky enough to be exceptionally good and stunningly distinguished looking and are incredibly generous natured and particularly lovely spirited. And forgiving. Everyone is going to love you on that boat and that wifey of yours is going to be tapping her fingers in an irritated way on the table when she loses you in the avalanche of those diamanté enfrocked rich ladies grabbing you for a dancey wancey on the dance floor. Everyone likes to dance with a proper man don't they. You keep a hand on that wallet Terry. Lot's of piccies when you can. Bayonet the wounded and resuscitate the lovely. I'm looking forward to seeing all your piccies of you with a Planters Punch in your hand at the bar ... and all that food. By the way .... my recipe for Planters found it's way into the SS barmen's cocktail manual!

 

Appreciate so much on another Silversea CC Board thread this posting of Jeff's kind wishes and comments. Thought I would share here, too!! Not sure that my wife and others who know me well would say that I am quite as "incredibly generous natured and particularly lovely spirited. And forgiving." as he states/claims. But, we can all live in hope that such impressions/guesses are totally true. Or, maybe half true. Good goals for which to strive!! Don't worry on the dance floor. Not skilled or talented there.

 

YES, will take lots of pictures and post them on these boards. Loved the info about your role in the Silversea Planters Punch. Will definitely try that one and think of you, plus give you full credit for this creation. Looking forward to the FUN!!

 

Less than three week to go!! Lots to do and get done.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 167,758 views. Appreciate the interest and follow-up questions/comments!!

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

[TLCOhio]

Last night, was the opening/premiere in the United States of "Downton Abbey" season five. Know that it has already been aired in the UK. Lots to love and enjoy about this interesting history piece. One review noted that this "was a buoyant bounce-back from last season's lows, and a crisp collection of the show's lovable, silly, funny traits." Did also strongly agree with this segment of their review: "What's harder to believe: that the Downton Abbey fire brigade responds to conflagrations within minutes, or just how lucky Thomas Barrow is when it comes to getting himself out of tight spots via well-timed heroics?"

 

At times last night, however, the plot was a little slow and twisted, but the costumes and settings looked, as always, super great. Then PBS followed with an hour-long profile for the role of the historic advisor in producing this series. This added TV program included many details for how he worked to keep things "proper" to these historic periods. Not sure, even if that rich, that I would want to live in that "proper" Edwardian period where things had to be so structured and at times kind of meaningless with your life and position in the "order" of the upper-class rules.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

If Venice is one of your future desires or past favorites, here are some options and visual potentials for this city that is so great for "walking around", personally sampling its great history and architecture. This posting is now at 45,493 views.

Venice: Loving It & Why??!!

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1278226

 

 

From the Bing search, here is a visual sample of the cast in front of the always interesting Downton Abbey. Fun, interesting series! Plus no commercials during the program when shown on PBS here in the US.:

 

[spinnaker2]

Alastair Bruce was on the crossing this past november and the year past.

Lovely gentleman. Brought his Mum too.

[TLCOhio]

Alastair Bruce was on the crossing this past november and the year past. Lovely gentleman. Brought his Mum too.

 

That would have been fun to have met Alastair Bruce on your cruise. From that hour-long, follow-up program last night, Alastair Bruce came off as very skilled and savvy. From Wikipedia, they note his work as Royal, Religious and National Events Commentator for Sky News and previous involvement with the BBC. They note Bruce is of Scottish descent, graduated from Royal Military Academy Sandhurst and is a direct descendant of Robert the Bruce. He was in the military and has clearly experienced a very interesting life.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Super loved Dubrovnik!!! See more details and lots of great visual samples/examples at this link. Have had over 26,039 views on this posting.

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1439227

[specialcruisegirl]

Preserved lemons sound great! What's your recipe? I have seen them called for in a few recipes but you will have a ton of them, for sure.

 

 

 

We're in! We had so much fun in Paris this past Christmas that we are thinking about somewhere in Spain this year.

 

Jp....if you're thinking about Spain l would recommend you take a look at the Northern Costa Blanca and the Jalon Valley area which is between Alicante and Valencia. The town of Denia is particularly interesting and has some lovely tapas bars to enjoy with the locals. Jalon is inland but the whole area is very beautiful with the local villages giving a taste of the real Spain with some lovely restaurants.

Alicante itself is always thought of as just an airport gateway but the city is well worth exploring as is Valencia.

There are many villas for vacation rental in the Jalon area thus giving one the opportunity to explore by car and enjoy.

 

Sophia :)

[machotspur]

Last night, was the opening/premiere in the United States of "Downton Abbey" season five. Know that it has already been aired in the UK. Lots to love and enjoy about this interesting history piece. One review noted that this "was a buoyant bounce-back from last season's lows, and a crisp collection of the show's lovable, silly, funny traits."

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Hello TLCOhio (Terry if I may be so bold)

 

I’ve just stumbled across your Downton post !

 

My wife and I are quite regular SS cruisers but more importantly, in the context of your recent post, have some connection to the Downton series, which I understand has some popularity in the USA.

 

In short – we live in the district of Bampton, Oxfordshire – which is used for much of the filming of Downton. Only yesterday my wife and I were walking around the outside of ‘Downton’ church, cottage hospital and Isobel Crawley’s house, to name a few of the locations used in the series.

 

The steeple of the splendid church can be seen for miles around here and the cottage hospital itself was originally a school and is now a local library. The local people have recently launched a campaign to raise £250,000 to carry out essential work to the ‘hospital’ and the actor Hugh Bonneville (Earl of Grantham) has supported it.

 

You may find this short video of interest. … http://www.bamptonarchive.co.uk/

 

Best wishes from ‘Downton’village !

 

BTW - an adjacent village to Bampton is often named as the furthest from the sea in England, so 'Downton' is not a great place to visit on a cruise !!

[UKCruiseJeff]

Welcome back .... what kept you away for so long! :(

 

Re Downton. You have to be quite careful with respect to this topic! Some across the water are convinced that this is a documentary you know.:cool:

 

I must admit I love the concept of it but the series seem to get increasingly content free. As they all do, they start off well and then go downhill.

 

Just watching Jack Whitehall and father. I wonder what Americans would make of dad ...

 

:eek:

[spinnaker2]

Why Jeff I do declare. Isn't gone with the wind a documentary too?

[UKCruiseJeff]

Why Jeff I do declare. Isn't gone with the wind a documentary too?

 

I control mine with charcoal. I renamed it "The Wind is Gone".

 

Meet me on Peachtree!

 

:D

[spinnaker2]

Who knows nothing bout birthing babies join the tapas tour?

Think of it like a roadie...

[UKCruiseJeff]

Your name is on the list.

 

We don't talk enough about some great American cities.

 

May I state some favourites? Obviously as you mentioned my Wind the tops has to be Atlanta!

 

Second ... I was really struck with Dallas. We had some really memorable pseudo business trips to Dallas. I once blagged our way in to Southfork when it was still private and before it opened as a sort of theme park! That was quite a day.

 

I also remember being taken to one of those funny dance places where they all wear cowboy gear and dance in lines. Gosh.

 

I once came close to getting shot in a remote part of the lakes in Minnesota when I laughed at the wrong moment and umbrage was taken. A gun was waved.

 

 

.

Edited January 5, 2015 by UKCruiseJeff

[WesW]

wrong thread oops

Edited January 6, 2015 by WesW

[UKCruiseJeff]

wrong thread oops

 

Good Day Wes,

 

Nice of you to visit, and dip your toe. I see this must have been the right thread as you didn't post elsewhere.:eek:

 

Taking that first step into cooliedom is the hardest step. It gets easier. If things get bad we have a backup program you can call on 24/7 - CA (Coolidom Anonymous) where you will receive state subsidised therapy.

 

In the interim, all Coolies are covered by poster/forum client confidentiality privileges and your posts, I personally promise, will remain entirely private and unread.

 

Post again!

 

Jeff

 

:D

[TLCOhio]

Terry, I forgot to ask, from where do you depart?

 

For our south Florida friend, we will fly from Columbus to Atlanta and arrive at 4 pm in Barbados on Saturday, Jan. 24. We board the Silver Cloud on Sunday afternoon, Jan. 25, Bridgetown, Barbados. Now just a little over two weeks till we depart. Been checking today on getting my shirt colors picked out, electric converters gathered up, packing list printed, etc., etc.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did June 7-19, 2011, cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. We are now at 191,553 views for this live/blog re-cap. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474

[TLCOhio]

Hello TLCOhio (Terry if I may be so bold). I’ve just stumbled across your Downton post! My wife and I are quite regular SS cruisers but more importantly, in the context of your recent post, have some connection to the Downton series, which I understand has some popularity in the USA. In short – we live in the district of Bampton, Oxfordshire – which is used for much of the filming of Downton. Only yesterday my wife and I were walking around the outside of ‘Downton’ church, cottage hospital and Isobel Crawley’s house, to name a few of the locations used in the series. The steeple of the splendid church can be seen for miles around here and the cottage hospital itself was originally a school and is now a local library. The local people have recently launched a campaign to raise £250,000 to carry out essential work to the ‘hospital’ and the actor Hugh Bonneville (Earl of Grantham) has supported it.

You may find this short video of interest. … http://www.bamptonarchive.co.uk/

Best wishes from ‘Downton’village!

BTW - an adjacent village to Bampton is often named as the furthest from the sea in England, so 'Downton' is not a great place to visit on a cruise !!

 

WOW!! Appreciate so much this nice follow-up about Downton Abbey, your charming Bampton village and this wonderfully-done video by the actor who plays the Earl of Grantham. Very interesting and enjoyable.

 

Yes, this series has been very, very popular here in the USA. It's been a great "winner" for the PBS/Public Broadcasting network. I do a regular program with the local PBS affiliate and will share your comments/background with the station news director this Friday when I do our program at their studios.

 

Have twice visited the wonderful Cotswold region. Love this scenic, charming region. Will have to put Bampton on the future to-do list when I spend a few weeks in the UK as a part of a Jeff-suggested "Live like an Englishman" adventure.

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For Athens, Greece, check out this posting with many ideas, tips and visuals. Go to:

http://boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1101008

There have been over 10,492 views on this posting.

[TLCOhio]

It's BOTH cold and snowy here in Central Ohio. Most all of the school districts are closed for the day. Lots of traffic slow-downs. Need proof and evidence? Plus, this gives us more reasons to head south to warmer, sunnier weather in just over two weeks.

 

Have an 8:30 am breakfast and here's a few of my iPhone pictures to give any update and reason for why doing a later January cruise to the Amazon will be smart.

 

Does this subject fit for a report on a "Cooler" thread?

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

For details and visuals, etc., from our July 1-16, 2010, Norway Coast/Fjords/Arctic Circle cruise experience from Copenhagen on the Silver Cloud, check out this posting. This posting is now at 167,815 views. Appreciate the interest and follow-up questions/comments!!

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1227923

 

 

First, is getting ready to go down our steep driveway with the snow-covered trees all around. Second, looking towards our home's screened porch with the lighted Christmas tree shining. Third, down our main, ravine road to head towards my breakfast meeting. Trees look magical with the snow covering Fourth, a look at traffic going down High Street, the main north-south road in town.:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Gas price update? Here it is at $1.71.9!! How low can things go for a gallon of gas. No complaints here! Finally, arrived at the place for breakfast. It's a French-styled place called La Chatelaine. Here you can see their glass display case with all of the "goodies"!! Look nice?:

 

 

 

[jpalbny]

Jp....if you're thinking about Spain l would recommend you take a look at the Northern Costa Blanca and the Jalon Valley area which is between Alicante and Valencia. The town of Denia is particularly interesting and has some lovely tapas bars to enjoy with the locals. Jalon is inland but the whole area is very beautiful with the local villages giving a taste of the real Spain with some lovely restaurants.

Alicante itself is always thought of as just an airport gateway but the city is well worth exploring as is Valencia.

There are many villas for vacation rental in the Jalon area thus giving one the opportunity to explore by car and enjoy.

 

Sophia :)

 

Thanks for the recommendation, Sophia. We have looked at this area in the past but haven't been. Didn't know much about it, but it sounds very nice! We love trips where we can rent a car and explore on our own. To each his own, but I would go nuts if we were on vacation in some foreign location, only to stay at a resort all day.

 

We enjoyed a week near Marbella a few years back. Rented a car, toured all over on our own to Gibraltar, Cordoba, Granada, Ronda... Lots of great meals, beautiful scenery, and tiny hill towns. Would love to revisit that region soon. But Barcelona has its own appeal too. We only had 1-1/2 days there while embarking on a cruise, and the first day we were sleepwalking after a red-eye flight. So, many more sights to see there as well.

 

Time to reminisce more about our Paris holiday...

[jpalbny]

A few more pictures of Paris from the second day, 12/26:

 

Place de la Bastile, with its monumental column:

 

 

We had to wait a while to get a picture that empty. There was a street carnival going on nearby and it was packed! Looked a little hectic, so we wandered off to find a little peace and quiet, which we found at Place des Vosges. Back home for a little bit to recharge... We made a dinner reservation for 8 tonight, at a slightly fancier place called Jamin which was within walking distance of our hotel.

 

After dark we went out to look at some more buildings. The view of the Eiffel Tower from Pont Alexandre III was nice, though it was getting a bit chilly by then:

 

 

There was an exhibition at the Grand Palais but it looked like a zoo so we skipped that and visited the Christmas Markets along the Champs-Elysees. The wind was whipping up and we felt a few sprinkles, so time for some warm beverages - hot chocolate did the trick as we are not great fans of warm spicy wine:

 

 

The markets line both sides of the street between the Grand Palais and Place de la Concorde. It's a carnival atmosphere, with shops, food stands, the obligatory ice skating rink, and just a fun place to hang out. But as we approached Place de la Concorde, it started raining a little more steadily. We grabbed a picture of the ancient obelisk next to the modern Ferris wheel:

 

 

And then headed back for dinner before we got soaked! It wasn't the most pleasant walk but we grabbed an umbrella from the hotel and stayed relatively dry. Dinner was quite nice - I can't remember everything we had but one of the appetizers was a delicious salad with sautéed shrimp. The mains were equally tasty; sea bass over Thai rice with lemongrass, and a carrot-coconut sauce:

 

 

And seared scallops served over leeks with a creamy sauce:

 

 

I'm noticing a lot of Sancerre on the wine lists as a reasonably-priced option. Especially white, but even some reds. We don't see much of that here in the US. I guess they are keeping it for themselves?

[TLCOhio]

 

 

I'm noticing a lot of Sancerre on the wine lists as a reasonably-priced option. Especially white, but even some reds. We don't see much of that here in the US. I guess they are keeping it for themselves?

 

Love your sharing of more Paris pictures. Especially super like the picture of the Eiffel Tower with its light/beacon at the top. We visited several areas near the town of Sancerre that is SE of the Loire region. Like their wine and found some of it available here in the USA. BUT, not as common and as easy to find as from other parts of France.

 

Keep up the good posting!!

 

THANKS! Enjoy! Terry in Ohio

 

Did a June 7-19, 2011, Celebrity Solstice cruise from Barcelona that had stops in Villefranche, ports near Pisa and Rome, Naples, Kotor, Venice and Dubrovnik. We are now at 191,619 views for this live/blog re-cap, including much on wonderful Barcelona. Check these postings and added info at:

http://www.boards.cruisecritic.com/showthread.php?t=1426474