LIVE from the Cloud, 10th April FL to Barcelona

[Silver Spectre]

Lovely man in the Owner's Suite is not a happy bunny, for the last four nights the pool machinery has woken him up in the early hours. The ship's response so far has been to continue to wake him whilst promising to a) fix it b) not repeat a second and then third time. Outstandingly poor customer service.

 

The newspaper thief struck again yesterday and removed both copies of The Sunday Times and failed to return. Weird people on this ship.

Edited April 21, 2014 by Silver Spectre

[Mr Luxury]

Wes ..... I'm confused ... know times are tough .... and you're now working your return trip ... but which one is you?

 

:confused:

 

Fourth from the left,the one with all the hair

[WesW]

Please enjoy some nice pix of Cadiz taken during this afternoon’s Jogging Tour:

 

Cadiz a Moret:

 

 

Town Hall--original site built in the 1600's:

 

 

The Cadiz Cathedral:

 

 

The Covenant de Santa Domingo:

 

 

The Pigeon Lady:

 

 

Plaza de Espana y Monumento a las Cortes:

 

Edited April 21, 2014 by Colonel(Ret.)Wes

[billcrooz]

Wes,

You could have asked them to smile.

 

If you just worked an 18 hour day,you probably wouldn't be too happy either!

[derbylane]

billcrooz, good point.

[WesW]

Bon. Vivant, Capt Sangiocomo be your Capt, Gianni your HD, Natalia (Head Sommelier). Will ck on CD to see if David will still be on for your voyage.

 

Today we’re in Malaga Spain, please enjoy a pix of our sail-in to this fascinating port below.

 

 

 

Also, EnglishUSA/David’s daily T-shirt pix is shown here:

 

 

Highlights in Malaga include a Chef Grant Market tour this morning at 9 a.m. for 12 of us. Hope to share some colorful pix of this Market trip later. A good number of our voyage passengers are taking the Alhambra excursion today.

[rojaan19]

I would love to do a market trip with Grant ! Looking forward to your photos.

 

Ann

[WesW]

Delightful Malaga Market tour with Exec. Chef Grant and Food & Beverage Mgr Marius..probably two of the most enjoyable hours we have had on this crossing yet. Please enjoy some Market tour pix below:

 

Grant and Marius leading us on our trek to the Malaga Market and then briefing us at the entrance to the Market.

 

 

Grant discusses the finer points of picking the best fish (snapper) to Marty (fellow pax).

 

 

Market had numerous fresh meat displays:

 

 

Time for Grant and Marius to decide on which Iberico Ham to buy:

 

 

Grant & Marius plan their purchase pointing out which Iberico ham may be best for Silvesea guests and then sample their prospective purchase, finally Grant & Marius beaming on their purchase of a treasure Iberico whole ham (@ 300 Euro about $450 to be set up at carving station for tonight’s dinner in the Restaurant.

 

 

[WesW]

Grant & Marius's selections:

 

 

 

Olvies, Olives and more (really delicious) Olives:

 

 

Nuts of every type were available for purchase here:

 

 

Chorizo sausage was preserved in fat and along with two other types of Spanish sausage were available. (Love Chorizo (Ida makes delicious homemade Chorizo every Sunday for our Brunch).

 

 

Anyone for some freshly skinned Rabbit?

 

[RachelG]

All your food pics are making me hungry. LOVE Spanish food markets. Filled with all kinds of deliciousness and clean enough that you aren't worried about eating the food.

[Bon.Vivant]

Bon. Vivant, Capt Sangiocomo be your Capt, Gianni your HD, Natalia (Head Sommelier). Will ck on CD to see if David will still be on for your voyage.

 

 

Thank you, Wes. Enjoying your photos!

Edited April 22, 2014 by Bon.Vivant

[Stumblefoot]

Anyone for some freshly skinned Rabbit?

I was salivating until a crudo Señor conejo de Pascua showed up.

[Silver Spectre]

Having a great time in Cartagena

[WesW]

Last nite as we sailed from Malaga enroute to Cartagena Spain, seven of us ate in the Pool Grill. We toast a special nite with cruise friends just prior to enjoying (courtesy of Silversea, Silvesea Executive Chef Grant, and Food & Beverage Mgr, Marius) some delicious Iberico ham (note the plates of slice ham on the forward and aft place on our table. From L to R; Brigitt, Mike, Mrs. Silver Spectre, David, Wes, Marty, and Mr. Silver Spectre. We concurred best ham we ever ate—was gone in less than 90 seconds.

 

 

 

The most spectacular sunrise yet on our crossing, pls see below:

 

 

Daily EnglishUSA/David T-shirt pix here:

 

 

Concur with Silver above--we had an outstanding day in Cartagena, enriched by the personal tour of two friends (Bill & Mike (Dos Jubalatos--cruise critic name) who live within 30 min of Cartagena. Tons of super pix--Concepcion Castle, Rome House, Sailor sculpture, Hall, April 2009 Terrorism statute memorial and more. We then a delicious English lunch (English Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding)..quick pix below...gotta run to the Captain's farewell..more later. Special thanks again to Sergio (Restaurant Mgr, and Exec Chef Grant) but even more special thanks to Bill & Mike.

 

Edited April 23, 2014 by Colonel(Ret.)Wes

[Silver Spectre]

Trying to work out why the pool base when empty is still blue, but when full of water looks green. Can the sea really be yellow?

[Silver Spectre]

One too many 10 year old Germans in the bars at night

[Wellseasoned]

Wes, greetings from Shanghai, glad that you are all enjoying the last days of your cruise. Now I'll have to see if I can hunt down some Iberian ham on the Shadow.

Mr. Silver Spectre, I enjoy your humor! Do you still have the great "won't remember a thing" T-shirt you wore on last year's South Pacific cruise?

[englishusa]

"You can take the man out of the army but you can't take the army out of the man!"

Had dinner last night with Wes as he wanted to try the veal liver.

Before the meal he leaves the table because " I need to go to the latrine!"

Ida: He did enjoy the liver!!

I'm now in Valencia airport, leaving the ship one day early to attend an "Old Boy's luncheon" in London

[Silver Spectre]

Wes, greetings from Shanghai, glad that you are all enjoying the last days of your cruise. Now I'll have to see if I can hunt down some Iberian ham on the Shadow.

Mr. Silver Spectre, I enjoy your humor! Do you still have the great "won't remember a thing" T-shirt you wore on last year's South Pacific cruise?

 

I certainly do, and it got 2 outings on this voyage. Thks for the memory

[Silver Spectre]

"You can take the man out of the army but you can't take the army out of the man!"

Had dinner last night with Wes as he wanted to try the veal liver.

Before the meal he leaves the table because " I need to go to the latrine!"

Ida: He did enjoy the liver!!

I'm now in Valencia airport, leaving the ship one day early to attend an "Old Boy's luncheon" in London

 

Safe travels. Saw Wes at 4:30 just going for his final run to the beach, dinner together at 8:30

[WesW]

Wellseasoned nice to here from you in Asia--do hope Debbie and you continue to have a fascinating cruise. EnglishUSA/David--yes, I bleed Army green and love it :)

 

Looking forward to our final dinner in the Restaurant with new cruise friends--will open another bottle of Pommery Louise 1999--thanks David--we will toast you.

 

Please enjoy a few pictures taken yesterday in Cartagena, visit was truly enhanced by the knowledge and passion of Dos Jubalatos (Bill & Mike) who gave me a personal tour. First, we trekked up to Cartagena Castles (Concepcion) a few pix from the top:

 

 

Contrasting theaters (New (left)modern amphitheater vs Teatro Romano (Right)

 

 

 

Next was very fortunate to visit Cartagena’s house of Fortune or as Bill/Mike said, “The Roman House.” The house of Fortune contains the remains of a Roman house of the late first century B.C., which was abandoned late in the second century A.D. It’s remains came to light in two phases: the road and the entrance to the house in 1974, and the rest of the house in 1970. The City of Cartagena upgraded the house in 2004 allowing visits to a complete home in Cartagena:

 

 

 

[farbster]

Terrific TR. Thanks to everyone!

 

Wes - glad you saw our friends from our cruise last summer. Charlie was a terrible black jack player :) Did you ask him about the sheik LOL. If you have an email address for him, please send it my way...

[WesW]

Lawrence, we had dinner with Charles & Theresa tonight along with six other wonderful new cruise friends, pls see pix below. If I see Charles tomorrow morn. will pass your well wishes along and send you his email too via personal email addees.

 

Visit the Cartagena City Center park marked by two huge Banyon trees:

 

 

Time for the late morning Spanish tradition (Coffee & Brandy), Cappuccino on Left, Bel Monte on Right)

 

 

Cartagena City Hall

 

 

One of the most beautiful entrances to any city we visited in Spain:

 

 

Enjoying Lunch in the Restaurant on the Silver Cloud. Thanks to EnglishUSA’s idea, arranged with Executive Chef Grant to surprise Bill & Mike with a traditional English lunch of English Roast Beef and Yorkshire pudding. Pix of us prior to dinner and the outstanding cuisine below.

 

 

 

 

 

[WesW]

Last night we had the Captain’s farewell and salute to the crew. Below Captain Sangiacomo toasting the crew for their superb performance during this voyage. Also a few pix of key staff you may not have seen before, Nacho the fitness trainer and the Deck Washing crew (hardest working crew between 5-7 a.m).

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

David Lawton gave a wonderful performance saluting the passengers by singing isn’t this a wonderful life—pix below. Also he read his personal prayer for Silversea cruise pax—pls see below

 

 

Edited April 24, 2014 by Colonel(Ret.)Wes

[WesW]

Would have preferred to key in David's prayer, but in the interest of saving internet time, here is a pix of this clever prayer:

 

 

Visit to Valencia pix below:

 

 

MSC Musica and Silver Cloud docked:

 

 

Spain's flags fly proudly at the entrance to one of Valencia's beachfronts: