Barely A Live from Escape May16-26 2024 Trieste (Venice) to Barcelona/10-Day Mediterranean: Italy Croatia Greece France Spain

[Mommapadraig]

Thank you…a wonderful review. Your photos are amazing and made me miss Barcelona so much. We stayed at H10 Raco Del Pi where we had a tiny balcony overlooking the street. Our Taxi driver said he couldn’t drop us off at the hotel and Instead dropped us off on La Rambla and gestured which way we should go. After going through two squares (one with jugglers! ) and around a corner we found the hotel. We loved it. If we ever get back I will be referencing your post. 

[Sugar Magnolia]

21 minutes ago, Mommapadraig said:

Thank you…a wonderful review. Your photos are amazing and made me miss Barcelona so much. We stayed at H10 Raco Del Pi where we had a tiny balcony overlooking the street. Our Taxi driver said he couldn’t drop us off at the hotel and Instead dropped us off on La Rambla and gestured which way we should go. After going through two squares (one with jugglers! ) and around a corner we found the hotel. We loved it. If we ever get back I will be referencing your post. 

 

Thank you for such kind words. Barcelona tops the list for me as far as major European cities like Madrid, Paris, Berlin, London, Rome, etc. Paris is a close second. I hope you will be able to visit Barcelona again. I am already trying to convince myself why I need to return so soon.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

2 hours ago, dexddd said:

Rubber boats?  If only they had some good 'ole NCL marketing they'd call them zodiacs but there might be trademark issues.

 

Agree, saying "rubber boats" has as much charm as saying toilet brush.

 

[ontheweb]

1 hour ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Thank you for such kind words. Barcelona tops the list for me as far as major European cities like Madrid, Paris, Berlin, London, Rome, etc. Paris is a close second. I hope you will be able to visit Barcelona again. I am already trying to convince myself why I need to return so soon.

 

Amsterdam, Florence, and Edinburg do not make your list of great European cities?

 

If we had ever been there, I have a feeling that Venice should also be on the list.

[Sugar Magnolia]

8 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Amsterdam, Florence, and Edinburg do not make your list of great European cities?

 

If we had ever been there, I have a feeling that Venice should also be on the list.

 

I used "etc" for a reason. I cannot possibly list every great European city nor was it my intent to do so.

 

[mking8288]

2 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Barcelona tops the list for me as far as major European cities ... Paris is a close second ... trying to convince myself why I need to return so soon.

For our "gang", agreed 200% on Barcelona but Susan has a different opinion about Paris & France in general.  Hey, final payment coming up this month but FYI, after sleepless nights ... we decided to "abandon" you (sorry, my personal apology), changed the 2 Sky TA booking & moved our 2 CND to next Fall's westbound TA instead, keeping our 20% discounts with a better series of new ports for us.  Haven't seen you on that roll call (nor have I, too busy with our 2 paid-in-full cruises coming up) getting active plus chatters from social media floating around, again 😳 😳 😤 ) - will you possibly be doing another Barely-a-Live.  

 

Photos & stories, descriptions, etc. (thank you again, you've succeeded - really)  from this Live Escape is going to be a key "reference" for 2025 since Italy & France are included among the ports ... 

Edited June 7 by mking8288

[Sugar Magnolia]

3 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

we decided to "abandon" you (sorry, my personal apology), changed the 2 Sky TA booking & moved our 2 CND to next Fall's westbound TA instead, keeping our 20% discounts with a better series of new ports for us.  Haven't seen you on that roll call (nor have I, too busy with our 2 paid-in-full cruises coming up) getting active plus chatters from social media floating around, again) - will you possibly be doing another Barely-a-Live.  

 

This is unforgivable.

 

No need for me to get active now with the Sky TA social universe. The mood has to strike me. Also prefer to sit back, watch and listen before I toss myself into that salad. I might do another Barely A Live series if there is audience demand.

 

12 minutes ago, mking8288 said:

Photos & stories, descriptions, etc. (thank you again, you've succeeded - really)  from this Live Escape is going to be a key "reference" for 2025 since Italy & France are included among the ports ... 

 

Thank you for the compliments. Means a lot. Glad my ramblings can be helpful. I know you have a great handle on your research but if I can fast track any part of your research just holler. I have visited Europe more than I have cruised.

 

And...I still plan to add to the Prima TA thread if I can unlock the deadbolt in my memory bank.

 

[ontheweb]

5 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

I used "etc" for a reason. I cannot possibly list every great European city nor was it my intent to do so.

 

Perhaps the greatest European city is one we had the pleasure of embarking on a cruise for our 30th wedding anniversary way back in 2007. It is one that no one has been to now for years and no one will be going to on a cruise for the foreseeable future. The port I am referring to is st. Petersburg, Russia. Did you ever manage to get there?

[Sugar Magnolia]

5 minutes ago, ontheweb said:

Perhaps the greatest European city is one we had the pleasure of embarking on a cruise for our 30th wedding anniversary way back in 2007. It is one that no one has been to now for years and no one will be going to on a cruise for the foreseeable future. The port I am referring to is st. Petersburg, Russia. Did you ever manage to get there?

 

Yes in 2009 on the Regent Voyager.

 

[ontheweb]

2 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Yes in 2009 on the Regent Voyager.

 

We did a private 2 day tour with Alla that I set up in our roll call. How did you explore St. Petersburg? 

[CruisnHallelujahs]

So many exquisite pictures.  Thanks for taking the time to share them.  Would love to hire you as our tour guide…you don’t miss a thing.  Enjoy your rest before your next adventure! ♥️ 

[Sugar Magnolia]

10 minutes ago, CruisnHallelujahs said:

So many exquisite pictures.  Thanks for taking the time to share them.  Would love to hire you as our tour guide…you don’t miss a thing.  Enjoy your rest before your next adventure! ♥️ 

 

Thank you! Sharing is caring. And I still have a few more up my sleeves to share. Always so nice to hear from you. Hope we can meet on a cruise.

 

[Sugar Magnolia]

Day 10 Palma de Mallorca, Spain -  NCL Shore Excursion: Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour / 5 hours / $199

 

Even though Palma was the last port of call on the itinerary, I seem to recall the least amount of details for that day from my entire 10-day cruise. That might say something about the excursion.

 

Palma is the capital city of the Balearic Islands where the Romans, the Byzantines and the Moors all conquered and influenced this region. This was my first time visiting Mallorca so I did not know exactly what to expect, but it did surprise me to see that Palma was a bigger city than I had envisioned. Parts of the city reminded me of Southern California. 

 

I chose the Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour excursion because: (a) the word “Gourmet" was in the title; (b) there was mention about paella for lunch at a restaurant; and (c) I thought we would be visiting Bellver Castle and the quaint mountainous village of Valldemossa. Instead, we ate mediocre paella not at the restaurant mentioned, we glimpsed at Bellver Castle from outside its gate, and drove through Valldemossa. The excursion was not cheap at $199 per person before any Free At Sea or Latitudes discounts were applied. It was also a large coach tour but I knew that going in and was mentally prepared. 

 

However, what I was not prepared for was how someone sat down next to me on the coach, shook my hand, then proceeded to tell me that he had been sick in his cabin for the past few days with flu-like symptoms.

 

Our first stop was Bellver Castle to take photos of the castle from the outside; the excursion did not include entrance into the castle. The general admission price was only €4 and likely even less for travel agencies, so I do not understand why the castle entrance was not included. Though we stopped to take photos for about 15-20 minutes, there was definitely enough time within the 5-hour long excursion to walk through the castle.

 

The Bellver Castle was built on a hill in the 14th century and has a unique circular shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Views of Palma from the castle hill

 

 

 

 

This one is for @cruiseny4life. I thought it was humorous how the Burger King sign sat above the Auto King sign.

 

 

 

Next, we drove through the picturesque village of Valldemossa but unfortunately, we did not stop there. Olive and almond tree groves neatly lined this area in the Tramuntana Mountains. The terraced landscape complements the ancient light-colored stone buildings of the village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main attraction of the excursion was Son Marroig, the former residence of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria in the 19th century, which is now a museum dedicated to the Archduke and also a popular wedding venue. The oldest buildings on the estate date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. We spent nearly three hours at Son Marroig and I wish some of the time was spent visiting Bellver Castle and/or Valldemossa instead. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Either erosion or aliens caused this interesting rock formation called Na Foradada, situated right below Son Marroig.

 

 

 

 

 

The venue was being prepared to host a wedding.

 

 

 

 

Lunch was served at Son Marroig instead of at the restaurant mentioned in the excursion description. I later found out that the restaurant had permanently closed. Round tables seating ten were set up for us. As luck would have it, the gentleman recovering from his flu-like illness was seated to my right and another gentleman who was hacking away was seated to my left…and I mean he was hacking the entire time. Miraculously, I remained healthy largely due to the invisible defensive dome I built around myself.

 

Small plates of appetizers were served and shared. The much anticipated paella was not a big hit at my table of ten. Perhaps paella is prepared differently in different parts of Spain but this one lacked any flavor. I think we had cheesecake for dessert but I have no recollection whether I enjoyed it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the ship the sun was about to set behind Bellver Castle in the distance, looking forlorn and beckoning for my return. Like the song sings…quizás…quizás…quizás.

 

 

[graphicguy]

5 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Day 10 Palma de Mallorca, Spain -  NCL Shore Excursion: Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour / 5 hours / $199

 

Even though Palma was the last port of call on the itinerary, I seem to recall the least amount of details for that day from my entire 10-day cruise. That might say something about the excursion.

 

Palma is the capital city of the Balearic Islands where the Romans, the Byzantines and the Moors all conquered and influenced this region. This was my first time visiting Mallorca so I did not know exactly what to expect, but it did surprise me to see that Palma was a bigger city than I had envisioned. Parts of the city reminded me of Southern California. 

 

I chose the Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour excursion because: (a) the word “Gourmet" was in the title; (b) there was mention about paella for lunch at a restaurant; and (c) I thought we would be visiting Bellver Castle and the quaint mountainous village of Valldemossa. Instead, we ate mediocre paella not at the restaurant mentioned, we glimpsed at Bellver Castle from outside its gate, and drove through Valldemossa. The excursion was not cheap at $199 per person before any Free At Sea or Latitudes discounts were applied. It was also a large coach tour but I knew that going in and was mentally prepared. 

 

However, what I was not prepared for was how someone sat down next to me on the coach, shook my hand, then proceeded to tell me that he had been sick in his cabin for the past few days with flu-like symptoms.

 

Our first stop was Bellver Castle to take photos of the castle from the outside; the excursion did not include entrance into the castle. The general admission price was only €4 and likely even less for travel agencies, so I do not understand why the castle entrance was not included. Though we stopped to take photos for about 15-20 minutes, there was definitely enough time within the 5-hour long excursion to walk through the castle.

 

The Bellver Castle was built on a hill in the 14th century and has a unique circular shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Views of Palma from the castle hill

 

 

 

 

This one is for @cruiseny4life. I thought it was humorous how the Burger King sign sat above the Auto King sign.

 

 

 

Next, we drove through the picturesque village of Valldemossa but unfortunately, we did not stop there. Olive and almond tree groves neatly lined this area in the Tramuntana Mountains. The terraced landscape complements the ancient light-colored stone buildings of the village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main attraction of the excursion was Son Marroig, the former residence of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria in the 19th century, which is now a museum dedicated to the Archduke and also a popular wedding venue. The oldest buildings on the estate date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. We spent nearly three hours at Son Marroig and I wish some of the time was spent visiting Bellver Castle and/or Valldemossa instead. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Either erosion or aliens caused this interesting rock formation called Na Foradada, situated right below Son Marroig.

 

 

 

 

 

The venue was being prepared to host a wedding.

 

 

 

 

Lunch was served at Son Marroig instead of at the restaurant mentioned in the excursion description. I later found out that the restaurant had permanently closed. Round tables seating ten were set up for us. As luck would have it, the gentleman recovering from his flu-like illness was seated to my right and another gentleman who was hacking away was seated to my left…and I mean he was hacking the entire time. Miraculously, I remained healthy largely due to the invisible defensive dome I built around myself.

 

Small plates of appetizers were served and shared. The much anticipated paella was not a big hit at my table of ten. Perhaps paella is prepared differently in different parts of Spain but this one lacked any flavor. I think we had cheesecake for dessert but I have no recollection whether I enjoyed it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the ship the sun was about to set behind Bellver Castle in the distance, looking forlorn and beckoning for my return. Like the song sings…quizás…quizás…quizás.

 

 

Love it.  Went to Bellver Castle last October.  You really didn't miss much inside the castle.  The outside views are the real draw.

[Sugar Magnolia]

1 minute ago, graphicguy said:

Love it.  Went to Bellver Castle last October.  You really didn't miss much inside the castle.  The outside views are the real draw.

 

But I wanted to storm the castle.

 

[ontheweb]

37 minutes ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Day 10 Palma de Mallorca, Spain -  NCL Shore Excursion: Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour / 5 hours / $199

 

Even though Palma was the last port of call on the itinerary, I seem to recall the least amount of details for that day from my entire 10-day cruise. That might say something about the excursion.

 

Palma is the capital city of the Balearic Islands where the Romans, the Byzantines and the Moors all conquered and influenced this region. This was my first time visiting Mallorca so I did not know exactly what to expect, but it did surprise me to see that Palma was a bigger city than I had envisioned. Parts of the city reminded me of Southern California. 

 

I chose the Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour excursion because: (a) the word “Gourmet" was in the title; (b) there was mention about paella for lunch at a restaurant; and (c) I thought we would be visiting Bellver Castle and the quaint mountainous village of Valldemossa. Instead, we ate mediocre paella not at the restaurant mentioned, we glimpsed at Bellver Castle from outside its gate, and drove through Valldemossa. The excursion was not cheap at $199 per person before any Free At Sea or Latitudes discounts were applied. It was also a large coach tour but I knew that going in and was mentally prepared. 

 

However, what I was not prepared for was how someone sat down next to me on the coach, shook my hand, then proceeded to tell me that he had been sick in his cabin for the past few days with flu-like symptoms.

 

Our first stop was Bellver Castle to take photos of the castle from the outside; the excursion did not include entrance into the castle. The general admission price was only €4 and likely even less for travel agencies, so I do not understand why the castle entrance was not included. Though we stopped to take photos for about 15-20 minutes, there was definitely enough time within the 5-hour long excursion to walk through the castle.

 

The Bellver Castle was built on a hill in the 14th century and has a unique circular shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Views of Palma from the castle hill

 

 

 

 

This one is for @cruiseny4life. I thought it was humorous how the Burger King sign sat above the Auto King sign.

 

 

 

Next, we drove through the picturesque village of Valldemossa but unfortunately, we did not stop there. Olive and almond tree groves neatly lined this area in the Tramuntana Mountains. The terraced landscape complements the ancient light-colored stone buildings of the village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main attraction of the excursion was Son Marroig, the former residence of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria in the 19th century, which is now a museum dedicated to the Archduke and also a popular wedding venue. The oldest buildings on the estate date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. We spent nearly three hours at Son Marroig and I wish some of the time was spent visiting Bellver Castle and/or Valldemossa instead. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Either erosion or aliens caused this interesting rock formation called Na Foradada, situated right below Son Marroig.

 

 

 

 

 

The venue was being prepared to host a wedding.

 

 

 

 

Lunch was served at Son Marroig instead of at the restaurant mentioned in the excursion description. I later found out that the restaurant had permanently closed. Round tables seating ten were set up for us. As luck would have it, the gentleman recovering from his flu-like illness was seated to my right and another gentleman who was hacking away was seated to my left…and I mean he was hacking the entire time. Miraculously, I remained healthy largely due to the invisible defensive dome I built around myself.

 

Small plates of appetizers were served and shared. The much anticipated paella was not a big hit at my table of ten. Perhaps paella is prepared differently in different parts of Spain but this one lacked any flavor. I think we had cheesecake for dessert but I have no recollection whether I enjoyed it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the ship the sun was about to set behind Bellver Castle in the distance, looking forlorn and beckoning for my return. Like the song sings…quizás…quizás…quizás.

 

 

Nice pictures, but your post is filled with reasons not to take a ship's excursion!

 

I truly hope for your sake that your "protective dome" works. I know my DW would have been freaking out and masking up.

[Seas2mountains]

On 6/7/2024 at 9:42 AM, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

I might do another Barely A Live series if there is audience demand.

 

 

Please do! I really enjoyed reading your live review with photos! It was great to read about your experience on the Escape and I also really enjoyed your contributions to @mking8288 very detailed and informative live review on the Prima!  I appreciate the time you all spent to do these live reviews. We embark on the Prima in 15 days - can't wait!

[Sugar Magnolia]

3 hours ago, Seas2mountains said:

Please do! I really enjoyed reading your live review with photos! It was great to read about your experience on the Escape and I also really enjoyed your contributions to @mking8288 very detailed and informative live review on the Prima!  I appreciate the time you all spent to do these live reviews. We embark on the Prima in 15 days - can't wait!

 

Thank you very much. @mking8288 was instrumental in encouraging and helping me through my first Live.

 

Have a great time on the Prima. Despite the quirky design and some operational challenges, I have enjoyed sailing on the Prima all three times, mainly because I met some great friends along the way. And I try to live by Bruce Lee's words..."be like water"... move around those obstacles.

 

[Panhandle Couple]

7 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Day 10 Palma de Mallorca, Spain -  NCL Shore Excursion: Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour / 5 hours / $199

 

Even though Palma was the last port of call on the itinerary, I seem to recall the least amount of details for that day from my entire 10-day cruise. That might say something about the excursion.

 

Palma is the capital city of the Balearic Islands where the Romans, the Byzantines and the Moors all conquered and influenced this region. This was my first time visiting Mallorca so I did not know exactly what to expect, but it did surprise me to see that Palma was a bigger city than I had envisioned. Parts of the city reminded me of Southern California. 

 

I chose the Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour excursion because: (a) the word “Gourmet" was in the title; (b) there was mention about paella for lunch at a restaurant; and (c) I thought we would be visiting Bellver Castle and the quaint mountainous village of Valldemossa. Instead, we ate mediocre paella not at the restaurant mentioned, we glimpsed at Bellver Castle from outside its gate, and drove through Valldemossa. The excursion was not cheap at $199 per person before any Free At Sea or Latitudes discounts were applied. It was also a large coach tour but I knew that going in and was mentally prepared. 

 

However, what I was not prepared for was how someone sat down next to me on the coach, shook my hand, then proceeded to tell me that he had been sick in his cabin for the past few days with flu-like symptoms.

 

Our first stop was Bellver Castle to take photos of the castle from the outside; the excursion did not include entrance into the castle. The general admission price was only €4 and likely even less for travel agencies, so I do not understand why the castle entrance was not included. Though we stopped to take photos for about 15-20 minutes, there was definitely enough time within the 5-hour long excursion to walk through the castle.

 

The Bellver Castle was built on a hill in the 14th century and has a unique circular shape.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Views of Palma from the castle hill

 

 

 

 

This one is for @cruiseny4life. I thought it was humorous how the Burger King sign sat above the Auto King sign.

 

 

 

Next, we drove through the picturesque village of Valldemossa but unfortunately, we did not stop there. Olive and almond tree groves neatly lined this area in the Tramuntana Mountains. The terraced landscape complements the ancient light-colored stone buildings of the village.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The main attraction of the excursion was Son Marroig, the former residence of Archduke Ludwig Salvator of Austria in the 19th century, which is now a museum dedicated to the Archduke and also a popular wedding venue. The oldest buildings on the estate date back to the 15th and 16th centuries. We spent nearly three hours at Son Marroig and I wish some of the time was spent visiting Bellver Castle and/or Valldemossa instead. 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Either erosion or aliens caused this interesting rock formation called Na Foradada, situated right below Son Marroig.

 

 

 

 

 

The venue was being prepared to host a wedding.

 

 

 

 

Lunch was served at Son Marroig instead of at the restaurant mentioned in the excursion description. I later found out that the restaurant had permanently closed. Round tables seating ten were set up for us. As luck would have it, the gentleman recovering from his flu-like illness was seated to my right and another gentleman who was hacking away was seated to my left…and I mean he was hacking the entire time. Miraculously, I remained healthy largely due to the invisible defensive dome I built around myself.

 

Small plates of appetizers were served and shared. The much anticipated paella was not a big hit at my table of ten. Perhaps paella is prepared differently in different parts of Spain but this one lacked any flavor. I think we had cheesecake for dessert but I have no recollection whether I enjoyed it. 

 

 

 

 

 

Back on the ship the sun was about to set behind Bellver Castle in the distance, looking forlorn and beckoning for my return. Like the song sings…quizás…quizás…quizás.

 

 

Wow.

The following cruise we were allowed into Bellvar Castle because it was Sunday and free entry.

(several nude/semi nude male statues inside)

We also stopped at Valldemossa for an hour or so.

Then on to Port Soller for maybe 45 minutes (and some orange gelato).

It was the "Let's Take a Selfie" tour for $89.

 

More info and pictures on my post cruise review posting sometime next week. 

[Sugar Magnolia]

6 minutes ago, Panhandle Couple said:

Wow.

The following cruise we were allowed into Bellvar Castle because it was Sunday and free entry.

(several nude/semi nude male statues inside)

We also stopped at Valldemossa for an hour or so.

Then on to Port Soller for maybe 45 minutes (and some orange gelato).

It was the "Let's Take a Selfie" tour for $89.

 

More info and pictures on my post cruise review posting sometime next week. 

 

You hit the jackpot at Palma! I mean just the statues alone...

Looking forward to your post-cruise review.

 

[mrsv41605]

Loved following this thread -- boarding the Escape's on July 3, and so enjoyed your adventures! Thank you so much for reporting on your trip and keeping me informed!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

[Sugar Magnolia]

41 minutes ago, mrsv41605 said:

Loved following this thread -- boarding the Escape's on July 3, and so enjoyed your adventures! Thank you so much for reporting on your trip and keeping me informed!!! Thank you thank you thank you!!!

 

Thank you for following. Please do let me know if you have any questions. I will post some pics of the Escape soon.

 

[tcmagnum]

16 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

Day 10 Palma de Mallorca, Spain -  NCL Shore Excursion: Panoramic Coastal Vista Gourmet Tour / 5 hours / $199

 

However, what I was not prepared for was how someone sat down next to me on the coach, shook my hand, then proceeded to tell me that he had been sick in his cabin for the past few days with flu-like symptoms.

 

Lunch was served at Son Marroig instead of at the restaurant mentioned in the excursion description. I later found out that the restaurant had permanently closed. Round tables seating ten were set up for us. As luck would have it, the gentleman recovering from his flu-like illness was seated to my right and another gentleman who was hacking away was seated to my left…and I mean he was hacking the entire time. Miraculously, I remained healthy largely due to the invisible defensive dome I built around myself.

 

Oh, Hell No!!

The inner ***** in me would have come out and I would have moved away from the rude/inconsiderate people.  No way would I have sat next to either of them.  Nope.

 

I'm glad you didn't get sick.  Some people...SMH....

[ontheweb]

7 hours ago, Sugar Magnolia said:

 

Thank you for following. Please do let me know if you have any questions. I will post some pics of the Escape soon.

 

Would like your opinion on the Escape as I am looking at a possible cruise on her. We loved the Prima which though fairly large had a smaller ship feel with its small venues. Did not particularly like the Epic which I felt was much too large and maybe it was just that voyage but seemed to have the most unfriendly passengers of any cruise we have been on. I see the Escape is larger than the Prima, but smaller than the Epic.

 

Is there a Syd Norman's Pour House on the Escape? That for us would be a positive.

[Sugar Magnolia]

For embarkation day, I booked a half-day small group excursion to Montserrat with Spain Day Tours. The excursion included pick-up at Barcelona port, luggage hold, guided tour to Montserrat on a minibus, and drop-off at my hotel for €85.

 

Montserrat is a mountain range northwest of Barcelona where the Benedictine monastery was founded in the early 11th century and where the venerated Black Madonna, La Moreneta, is enshrined.

 

The local legend tells about how young shepherds in the year 880 noticed light and music coming from a cave in Montserrat. When they approached the cave, they found the statue of the Virgin Mary where it was believed to have been hidden during the Moorish invasion in the 7th century. It was not possible to remove the statue from the mountain because by some miracle, the statue had become too heavy. The Bishop declared that as a divine sign that the statue should stay in the mountain. The monastery was built dedicated to Our Lady of Montserrat in the 11th century and a chapel, Cappella de la  Santa Cova was built in the 17th to 18th centuries at the cave where the shepherds found the statue in 880.

 

Here is where the legend appears fuzzy to me. The statue of the Black Madonna that currently sits above the altar in the Montserrat basilica is a 12th century Romanesque wooden statue, a few centuries after the shepherds' discovery.

 

This is a replica of the Black Madonna at the Montserrat book store.

 

 

The Black Madonna is placed over the altar at the Montserrat basilica.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Entrance to the basilica

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was a dance recital held outside in the plaza area which unfortunately I missed while I was inside the basilica. There were many dancers still dressed in their costumes.

 

 

 

There is a museum in Montserrat where collections range from an Egyptian sarcophagus from the 13th century BC to Byzantine icons to paintings by masters such as El Greco, Caravaggio, Casas, Rusiñol, Picasso, Dalí, Miró, Chagall, Tàpies, Braque, among others.

 

 

As we only had 1.5 hour free time, I had to forgo the museum visit and instead, chose to hike up the 20-minute trail to the Cross of Sant Miquel for the picturesque viewpoint. After 30 minutes passed, I decided I needed to hike back down so I would not be late. As it turned out, I was in such a rush hiking up that I missed the left turn down to the Cross. I did reach the Ermita de Sant Miquel.

 

 

 

I hiked back down just in time to grab and inhale a sandwich while taking the last few shots of Montserrat.