Day 145: Lisbon, Portugal

Wednesday, 31 May 2017
O/N @ Santa Apolónia Jusante Pier in Lisbon

Stats @ Ship’s Time 10:10p (WEST) … UTC 9:10p (31 May)
Temp: 65.5F (18.6C)
Position: 38.42.73N / 9.07.36W

The sea is dangerous and its storms terrible, but these obstacles have never been sufficient
reason to remain ashore…unlike the mediocre, intrepid spirits seek victory over those
things that seem impossible…it is with an iron will that they embark on the most daring of
all endeavors…to meet the shadowy future without fear and conquer the unknown.
~ Ferdinand Magellan ~

Insignia was scheduled to dock in Lisbon, Portugal around 10:00a, which meant that though we were up early, there was no reason to be rushing about.  Instead, we enjoyed a lovely morning of sunshine and blue skies on our veranda as the ship headed up the Tagus River to our berth at Santa Apolónia, the dock closest to the center of town.

Day 144: A Morning in Seville, Spain

Tuesday, 30 May 2017
At Sea — Atlantic Ocean

Stats @ Ship’s Time 9:00p (CEST) … UTC 7:00p (30 May)
Temp: 70.3F (21.3C)
Position: 36.45.24N / 6.58.95W

There is no happiness for the person who does not travel.
~ Brähman ~

This was a short day in Seville … made all the shorter by the fact that we slept in.  No surprise since it was past 2:00a when I turned off the lights in the cabin … had to catch up my journal before the details of yesterday became filmy memories.  Once up, we ate a quick breakfast and left the ship shortly before 9:00a.  Our destination was the Alcazar, which opened at 9:30a.  We figured we were good to go.  Hah!

Day 143: Up the River to Seville, Spain

Monday, 29 May 2017
O/N @ Muelle de las Delicias … Seville, Spain

Stats @ Ship’s Time 5:40p (CEST) … UTC 3:40p (29 May)
Temp: 77.5F (25.3C)
Position: 37.22.37N / 5.59.53W

Our happiest moments as tourists always seem to come when we
stumble upon one thing while in pursuit of something else.
~ Lawrence Block ~

Who knew the land on either side of the Guadalquivir River — the only navigable river in Spain — produces a bounty of rice?  I certainly didn’t.  When we got up at 7:00a to Insignia traveling upriver to Sevilla [Seville], the flooded fields on either side of the ship came as a surprise … one that made this morning’s river transit far more interesting than I expected it to be.

Day 142: Gibraltar, United Kingdom

Sunday, 28 May 2017
At Sea — Atlantic Ocean

Stats @ Ship’s Time 9:00p (CEST) … UTC 7:00p (28 May)
Temp: 66.4F (19.1C)
Position: 35.57.72N / 5.47.05W

Through travel I first became aware of the outside world; it was through
travel that I found my own introspective way into becoming a part of it.
~ Eudora Welty ~

Our port of call today was Gibraltar.  We’ve been here a few times, but this was only our second time spending time ashore.

The first time was in 2003 when we did a TransAtlantic from Barcelona back to the US … with mom.  The two other occasions were both service calls.  One was rather recent … a cruise ship detour for a medical emergency … late at night … the city a-twinkle with lights beneath the dark silhouette of the Rock.  The other was years and years and years ago.  I was a little girl and don’t remember it, but mom tells me that we were crossing from the US to Italy on the SS Cristoforo Colombo when we made that service call.  Apparently vendors came out to the ship to hawk their wares … no recollection of that at all.

Day 141: Almería, Spain

Saturday, 27 May 2017
At Sea — Mediterranean Sea

Stats @ Ship’s Time 9:30p (CEST) … UTC 7:30p (27 May)
Temp: 71.1F (21.7C)
Position: 36.44.14N / 2.32.19W

The biggest adventure you can ever take is to live the life of your dreams.
~ Oprah Winfrey ~

This was a 16,093-step day.  Yes, I finally remembered to take my Fitbit with me today.  And what a great day it turned out to be.  It’s 9:30p and I am on the veranda.  The lights of Almería, Spain are still visible in the distance.  That’s because 35-knot winds from the east kept Insignia tied up at her berth an additional two hours past our scheduled departure of 7:00p.  No matter — our next port is not that far and according to Captain B, the delay leaving Almería will not adversely affect our arrival into Gibraltar.  He’s certainly putting pedal to the metal so that we arrive on time … hauling ass we surely are.