Azamara Quest - Mediterranean Cities, October 28-November 4 2021

[Bimmer09]

OUR DESTINATION

[Bimmer09]

SOME BUS WINDOW PHOTOS FOLLOW ON THE WAY TO MONTSERRAT

 

Our guide was a peppy young guy called Guillem who told us what we were seeing as we drove

 

That was our mountain

 

 

 

 

 

We left the highway and drove up two lane roads, hairpin bends for about 25 minutes before we reached a parking lot for bus on the Monastery level. There's a car park up here too. Not for those who suffer from vertigo! 

[Bimmer09]

THE VIEW FROM ABOVE

THAT'S THE ROAD TO BARCELONA WAY DOWN BELOW

 

more tomorrow...Norris

[Baynanno1]

It is a long way down, but definitely worth the trip up, for both the views from the area and the area itself. 🙂

[ElmaLee]

Montserrat is a wonderful place and the journey there and back is also interesting.  Last time we visited they had a one way traffic system up and down which made things a lot safer.  The road up is very popular with cyclists at weekends.  The road down is probably even more popular!

[Bimmer09]

MONTSERRAT

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Santa_Maria_de_Montserrat_Abbey

 

We originally had 4 days planned for Barcelona-one on the ship and 3 in our hotel.

However Aer Lingus notified us a few weeks before traveling that the Sunday flight we were going to take to Dublin on November 7th was canceled so we had to take a flight to Dublin on the 6th to catch a direct flight to Chicago on the 7th. With less time in Barcelona I thought it best to visit Montserrat on a ship excursion rather than a private tour. I think it was $89 pp. 4 hours there and back with some free time for shopping and snacking.

 

So we're up here 30 miles from Barcelona and the view is splendid. Here's the first pic I took which I put on FB as there were people keeping up with our progress. 

This shows some outer buildings, train and funicular tracks

 

Another cell pic while I was holding my phone and if I don't put it up now I'll forget it.

 

 

We were high (altitude wise, not what you're thinking) and the sun was shining and the air was still and all was quiet except for our guide. The driver Jose stayed with the coach so folks could leave belongings there safely. We had radios so could hear Guillem from a distance.

This is a vast complex so there will be lots of photos inside and outside.

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

We've all had a chance to use the excellent, clean underground restrooms by the parking lot and are following Guillem as he's the guide after all. I can stop and take pictures and always catch up.

Walking from the parking lot

 

I look to my left and there's another building balancing on a precipice of doom in the distance

 

There are handy "you are here" maps for the independent traveler or the guide who lied on his application and is hopelessly lost.

 

detail

 

 

and the extreme funicular (Latin: ridiculous funiculus)

[Bimmer09]

 

car park

 

Our guide pops into an office to collect our tickets for later in the tour when we go inside

This style of statuary is also seen on the facade of La Sagrada Familia. Love it!

 

small details

 

We walk up to the next level on a ramp. There is also a steep flight of stairs

 

 

and are in a big square

[Bimmer09]

We are going inside the basilica

 

 

[Bimmer09]

If you read that Wikipedia article the big attraction here is the Black Madonna. As we are here early in the day (about ten a.m) we won't have to line up for an hour to see her statue like later visitors. It also means we will be gone by the time the famous Boy's Choir sing at Mass but Guillem will play us a recording on the coach on the way home to Quest.

Inside the lighting is very subdued but the treasures are highlighted

 

The Black Madonna is reached by a short narrow staircase to a small platform which means people can't crowd around her. One at a time you shuffle past and get your photo. Here's mine.

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by Bimmer09
spolling

[Bimmer09]

We file out and are on our way to the Basilica where the congregation would gather

 

Leave a donation, light a candle

 

 

I'll put the Basilica pictures in a post by themselves as the space is beautiful

 

 

Edited November 22, 2021 by Bimmer09
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[Bimmer09]

The sublime beauty...

 

[Bimmer09]

Beautiful Courtyards

 

 

 

 

 

[Bimmer09]

 

 

 

Closeup of some of the stone used in these buildings

[takemewithyou]

It’s just incredible!  The detail that goes into these buildings!  So intricate….

[RNRcruisers]

Wow! Now I really have to go to Montserrat!

 

[Bimmer09]

We now had 45 minutes to roam, sit in the sun, whatever. There's a great cafeteria there and so we grabbed a tray and got ourselves some drinks. I saw signs for Hamburger with fries and got all excited but then I asked the cashier how to order it he told me they don't serve the hot food until noon by which time we would be spiraling down the mountain. I would have paired it with a Spanish beer as I always try the local brew.

My espresso and Carol's Macchiato refreshed us for a modest price. Good coffee!

 

Time to sit and enjoy the sun. The weather was perfection and the place wasn't mobbed yet. Such a unique place to relax.

 

Time's up and while walking back to the coach I realized to my horror that I didn't have a fridge magnet!!

I told Carol to carry on to the bus while I backtracked at 10 knots. The gift shop was enormous but I eventually found our kind of magnet-not one of the flat photo ones, no, for we prefer those hand painted 3 dimensional ones. There was only one customer ahead in line-a couple tasting samples of some liqueur but they were having a heard time assessing if one taste was enough and if the 8 Euro price fit their vacation budget. I had the exact change out (4E) and was ready to pay and watching my watch (hence the name?) . Normally if kept waiting like this I have 3 options; (A) call the Police but we are so high up it will take ages for them to get here (B) Demand to speak to the manager-pointless as the cashier was the manager or (C) wait. I chose C.

 

On my way to the bus now at 15 knots but still found time to take a few snaps...

 

 

enterprising vendors come up daily to sell their wares

 

 

I'm the penultimate passenger to enter the bus and we soon are off down the mountain back to the highway and heading back to the Quest.

Edited November 22, 2021 by Bimmer09
spelling

[Bimmer09]

While we are on the coach enjoying the Catalan countryside you can catch up on your Insider reading

Only Marseille and Barcelona left unless I've missed one?
 

[mchell810]

Lovely photos at Montserrat.  If all goes well I will be there exactly one year from today -- it's wonderful to view your pictures today.

[CoatRackOfDoom]

Norris! Great to see you've well begun a new Gentleman's Seafaring Journal! Leticia and I are embarking Saturday for a week in the Carribbean. Much needed medicine in these times.

You're tale is whetting my appetite indeed.

 

Cheers,
Ed

[MJSailors]

Norris-

     I look to read your GJ every day. Most enjoyable and your photos are very descriptive of all the places you visited on this vacation. 

Thank you for all the effort you put into the GJ. .

      As I was reading your account of the Basilica in Monserrat and the outside coffee time you shared with Carol, I was thinking to myself... Wait ! Did you purchase a souvenir magnet ? Glad that you thought to purchase one and that you were able to sprint to the shop and back to the bus in time ! Whew ! 

       I look forward to more pages to peruse until your journey is finished.

By the way- my DH thought of a Christmas gift for each other. We are booked on the Summit this coming May with an itinerary of Newport, Bermuda and Charleston. We have an Aqua class cabin and are looking forward to Blu. The ship has been totally refurbished and looks bright and upbeat.While they aren’t the most exotic ports, they suit our interests. This will be the first cruise for us since Covid began. Fingers crossed it is a go for us ! 

Take care- 

MJ🙋🏻

Edited November 22, 2021 by MJSailors
Forgot to add something.

[ChucktownSteve]

Hey Norris, Here's a hint.  Buy a new stainless steel fridge  voila.  no magnets will stick and you don't need to buy any more.  lol

[Baynanno1]

8 hours ago, Bimmer09 said:

The sublime beauty...

 

 

Thanks again for the memories!

I am green with envy . . . the Basilica is so empty!!

It was like an overflowing sardine can when we were there in 2012.

But I did also get to walk along the cliff path to the Santa Cova Chapel.

[Bimmer09]

Tootsies tread up the gangway one last time

Back in beautiful Barcelona our coach pulls up at the World Trade Center . We tip Guillem and Jose for a job well done, enter the cruise terminal. Show our ship cards, pass through the metal detectors and up the escalators to gangway level.

 

Isn't she lovely? Isn't she won-der-ful?

 

[Bimmer09]

4 hours ago, CoatRackOfDoom said:

Norris! Great to see you've well begun a new Gentleman's Seafaring Journal! Leticia and I are embarking Saturday for a week in the Carribbean. Much needed medicine in these times.

You're tale is whetting my appetite indeed.

 

Cheers,
Ed

Ed!! I thought you were going to miss this one so am relieved you are here. Welcome!

Which ship are you sailing on?

Yes, despite the many hassles being back on a beautiful ship was "heap good medicine kimosabe" as Tonto would have said. There was something missing in our lives and we found it up a gangway.

Bon Voyage and have a great cruise!

Norris