Cruise Diva's CRUISE
DIARY
~ Lisbon to Barcelona ~
 |
| Wind
Surf Sports |
Ibiza,
Spain
May 3, 2002 -
Known for its wild nightlife, we were
looking for Ibiza's simpler pleasures--the daytime sights and sounds alongside the blue
Mediterranean after a day at sea.
From our pier-side vantage point near
La Marina, Ibiza didn't look a bit like a jet set playground. In
reality, it's a perfectly preserved walled city. However, it isn't
difficult to understand why so many artists began calling this their home on the 1950's
and 60's and why the Beautiful People followed.
Our day started out overcast with a
smattering of showers. By the time we went ashore mid-morning it was
clearing up, but the beach transfer was discontinued due to the
forecast.
 |
|
Ibiza's
harbor from the highest point of the city |
The city's La Marina area extends
west along the wharf, where we discovered cafes along the waterfront.
Spread out above it, Dalt Vila is protected by the fortress walls. The
historic castle and Gothic cathedral are within its confines near the
highest point of the city. Sa Penya, Ibiza's old quarter, stretches
east from the lower city walls to the sea and is honeycombed with narrow
passageways lined with shops and restaurants.
As we shopped, the wind kicked up and
the drizzle turned to a full blown downpour so I returned to the ship
to warm up and take advantage of a spa special--three treatments for
$99. After a neck & shoulder massage, spa facial, and soothing foot &
ankle massage, I was energized and ready to attack the hill to the castle at the top
of the ramparts. It was quite a climb, but the view was certainly
worth it. The rain let up and shops, which were closed for the mid-day
siesta, reopened and we browsed for souvenirs before returning to the
Wind Surf for late afternoon refreshments.
And where are the famous (and infamous)
nightclubs? Amnesia is the "in" spot but it's only open
during tourist season. There were plenty of discothèques and
restaurants within a block or two of the pier, though, and, off-season
or not, it's still
possible to party the night away. If our fellow passengers were so
inclined, they could stay beyond our 11pm departure time and take the
ferry to Palma to reboard the Wind Surf tomorrow.
With a late sailing, it was also
possible to dine ashore. Those who did raved about the wonderful food.
We opted to stay on board for a Mediterranean Night dinner served in the Lounge.
Fantastic! Antipasto, salads, pasta, and heavenly desserts. The staff
began preparations for the dinner at 7am and they gave us an evening I
will always remember.
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|
Wind
Surf crew members display their talent & present a memorable
show. |
After dinner our Indonesian
crew entertained us and we wouldn't have missed their performance for
the world.
Nightclubs ashore may be the hottest and most popular in Europe, but
the Wind Surf's appealing crew gave them a run for their
money. The Crew Show was a delightful display of their
talents--attired in traditional costumes, they presented music and
dance highlighting their culture. Passengers and crew have formed
special relationships based upon mutual respect and our parting on
Sunday will be difficult.
Later, sailing from Ibiza was
breathtaking. The fortress walls and castle spread out before us were
entirely floodlit. It was a scene from a fairy tale.
Speaking again of parting... Internet
service was not available before debarkation on our final morning;
however, I attempted to add the final Cruise Diary installments
from a Barcelona Internet cafe. With the proliferation of computer
viruses, unfortunately it wasn't possible to
use my floppy disk and upload additional live daily reports. Thank you
for bearing with me until I reached home when I was able to wrap up the
Cruise Diary properly.
In the meantime, we have the day in
Palma de Mallorca to look forward to.
Day Six -> Palma De Mallorca, Spain
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