October 9, 2017 — The sailing season has been too good to end! Taking our time, sailing from Malta this past August, we made our way to Sicily, Sardinia, across to the Balearic Islands, to mainland Spain, and slowly down the coast to beautiful Cartagena, Spain for the winter. Arriving in the marina immediately reinforced the feeling that the sailing community is a great big family. People like us, are settled into the marina from all over the world, England, USA, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa... our first order of business was to get Con’s tooth fixed. We cycled to a dentist who took care of his lose implant for 50 euros, which doesn’t compute for us financially with the added expenses the clinic had, like purchasing a specific tool required to tighten it. Two days later, we joined our sailing family for a tapas night in the pretty town. For the price of a drink (wine is a couple of euro) plates of chicken, asparagus, pizza, shellfish... are delivered to your table.
The Volvo 2017 Round the World Race began October 14th, and we didn’t want to miss it being so close to the host city, Alicante. We rented a car, booked a first-class hotel with corner balcony overlooking the race sight, and tucked into the racing community for a few days.
The Volvo 2017 Round the World Race began October 14th, and we didn’t want to miss it being so close to the host city, Alicante. We rented a car, booked a first-class hotel with corner balcony overlooking the race sight, and tucked into the racing community for a few days.
October 16 — This was our third time to Alicante, the first in 2008 by boat, again by bus, and this time in a rented car. In the photos below, you can get an idea of how beautiful this area is. The photo of the hill has the Santa Barbara Castle sitting above. For us, it’s one of the prettiest castles in the Med. Access is either by hiking up, or paying 2.70 euro for a lift in the elevator. Free if you’re 65 and older. The weather was gorgeous, low 30s with a cooler 10 knot wind, just about right for the Round the World sailboats to have a figure eight race in the bay.
The controversial sailboat, “Open Arms” pictured centre was in the harbour. They positioned themselves in the Med in close proximity to Libya and have been accused in assisting the illegal human traffickers by taking migrants aboard in 2016 in predestined locations and transporting them to Italy, Malta, and Spain. In 2017, Open Arms carrying migrants was barred from these countries and attempted to return them to Libya who then fired warning shots at the ship. I don’t know the rest of that story.
October 20, 2017 -- Wild Storm Rumbled into Cartagena
The weather has been superb since we've arrived, but the land has been crying for rain, which it received the other day. The sky cracked loudly, lightning struck south of us all around the navy ships, followed by high winds bringing gusts up to 50 knots. Once the rain and wind arrived, sea gulls from everywhere set to the skies, soaring like birds of prey all around the concrete pier, dropping down to rest for a bit before doing it again.
The weather has been superb since we've arrived, but the land has been crying for rain, which it received the other day. The sky cracked loudly, lightning struck south of us all around the navy ships, followed by high winds bringing gusts up to 50 knots. Once the rain and wind arrived, sea gulls from everywhere set to the skies, soaring like birds of prey all around the concrete pier, dropping down to rest for a bit before doing it again.
October 25 -- We're contemplating next winter as well in Cartagena, the city that has everything we like. The size (not counting the cruise ship's arrival) is 215,000. Add another 10,000 at times when the ships arrive. The weather still smiles on us in the high 20s by day and low 20s by night. On our fold-up bikes, we've been exploring every nook and cranny by day and the tapas bars by night.
Last night, I cycled to my first Spanish class in this city, an intermediate level along with 30 students of whom most are migrants. I spoke with a man from the Congo, who arrived in Spain two years ago by boat from Morocco. He speaks Spanish and French, hoping to learn English. In Spanish, I asked if the boat trip was dangerous and his smiling face became solemn. "Si, pero esta' detras de mi." (That's behind me.) "Do you have family in the Congo?" With a big put-on smile, he answered. "I have no family, no one. My family are my friends, and I have a house and car. I am happy. Then he asked me to join him in his apartment so he could help with my Spanish and me teach him English. I kindly declined. My Spanish professora speaks faster than any other Spanish speaking person I've met. It's challenging. Usually when you converse with someone, you match their speed and tone. It's obvious when I respond with my my slow broken phrases that need a lot of work.
The social scene in the marina is enjoyable. A good mix of British, European, and Spanish. No other Canadians, however 15 boats are still expected and there are 25 on the waiting list. Last Sunday was the cruiser's shared barbecue, and tonight is the cruiser's tapas night. We walk to the section of the old town where there are three tapas bars near each other and bounce back and forth.
Con is changing the oil, always a sweaty job he tackles once a year or every 200 - 300 engine hours.
Last night, I cycled to my first Spanish class in this city, an intermediate level along with 30 students of whom most are migrants. I spoke with a man from the Congo, who arrived in Spain two years ago by boat from Morocco. He speaks Spanish and French, hoping to learn English. In Spanish, I asked if the boat trip was dangerous and his smiling face became solemn. "Si, pero esta' detras de mi." (That's behind me.) "Do you have family in the Congo?" With a big put-on smile, he answered. "I have no family, no one. My family are my friends, and I have a house and car. I am happy. Then he asked me to join him in his apartment so he could help with my Spanish and me teach him English. I kindly declined. My Spanish professora speaks faster than any other Spanish speaking person I've met. It's challenging. Usually when you converse with someone, you match their speed and tone. It's obvious when I respond with my my slow broken phrases that need a lot of work.
The social scene in the marina is enjoyable. A good mix of British, European, and Spanish. No other Canadians, however 15 boats are still expected and there are 25 on the waiting list. Last Sunday was the cruiser's shared barbecue, and tonight is the cruiser's tapas night. We walk to the section of the old town where there are three tapas bars near each other and bounce back and forth.
Con is changing the oil, always a sweaty job he tackles once a year or every 200 - 300 engine hours.
November 4, 2017 Doug and Merrilee Arrive
We set off early for the Alicante airport to collect Doug and Merrilee arriving from Canada to visit us aboard. The Castile Santa Barbara was our first stop, before returning to Cartagena. Thursday, the sea was lumpy, but the sun was shining as it always is in Cartagena and we untied from our slip for a day on the water. We dropped anchor not too far from the marina to swim, with only Doug braving the 23 degree waters snorkelling through the blue waters. With the sea rocking Big Sky uncomfortably, we picked up anchor and set sail, only to have the main twist horribly inside the top of the mast. After a long and bloody battle with the sail, we dropped it and latched it topside to deal with later. Once in the marina, after hours of strategizing, tugging, and coaxing it roughly, we got it back inside the mast. Doug sacrificed his arms and fingers on the task, after a cotter pin took off a few layers of his skin. “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” It’s raining and how! The dry land is finally having a break, and our umbrellas are having a work out.
We set off early for the Alicante airport to collect Doug and Merrilee arriving from Canada to visit us aboard. The Castile Santa Barbara was our first stop, before returning to Cartagena. Thursday, the sea was lumpy, but the sun was shining as it always is in Cartagena and we untied from our slip for a day on the water. We dropped anchor not too far from the marina to swim, with only Doug braving the 23 degree waters snorkelling through the blue waters. With the sea rocking Big Sky uncomfortably, we picked up anchor and set sail, only to have the main twist horribly inside the top of the mast. After a long and bloody battle with the sail, we dropped it and latched it topside to deal with later. Once in the marina, after hours of strategizing, tugging, and coaxing it roughly, we got it back inside the mast. Doug sacrificed his arms and fingers on the task, after a cotter pin took off a few layers of his skin. “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain.” It’s raining and how! The dry land is finally having a break, and our umbrellas are having a work out.
November, 2017 -- Doug and Merrilee arrive from Toronto
On a beautiful warm day, Doug, Merrilee, Con and I began our tour of the Andalusian region beginning in Cordoba. We no sooner arrived and the clouds rolled in and it rained cats and dogs while we navigated the beautiful city of cobble stone streets and breathtakingly beautiful gardens and architecture. Cordoba’s sights: the mosque / cathedral; Roman Bridge over the river; and Alcazar.
Seville the next day, we walked through the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, memorialized by the early Sunday morning mass with the enormous organ, choirs, incense, and purple, and red robed priests. Christopher Columbus is buried in the church, but just 300 grams of him, less than a Big Mac. The rest is buried in various parts of the world, like the Dominican Republic and Cuba. By noon, we were well into a delightful walking tour of the fascinating city.
We drove onto a higher elevation to Granada positioning ourselves to visit the Taj Majal of Europe, the Alhambra. Our planned four nights on the road turned into five, not wanting to depart from this gorgeous area. The Alhambra is an Arabic palace/fortress, constructed in the 13th century on top of a small Roman fortress built in AD 889. The intricate work is stunning, with barely a single spot on any wall, ceiling or floor that hasn’t been ornately carved with scripture or flowers in plaster, and mathematical patterns laid out in tile. The gardens are like a paradise on Earth, with water fountains, pools, columns, and blooming trees, flowers and bushes. We spent the entire day there!
On a beautiful warm day, Doug, Merrilee, Con and I began our tour of the Andalusian region beginning in Cordoba. We no sooner arrived and the clouds rolled in and it rained cats and dogs while we navigated the beautiful city of cobble stone streets and breathtakingly beautiful gardens and architecture. Cordoba’s sights: the mosque / cathedral; Roman Bridge over the river; and Alcazar.
Seville the next day, we walked through the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world, memorialized by the early Sunday morning mass with the enormous organ, choirs, incense, and purple, and red robed priests. Christopher Columbus is buried in the church, but just 300 grams of him, less than a Big Mac. The rest is buried in various parts of the world, like the Dominican Republic and Cuba. By noon, we were well into a delightful walking tour of the fascinating city.
We drove onto a higher elevation to Granada positioning ourselves to visit the Taj Majal of Europe, the Alhambra. Our planned four nights on the road turned into five, not wanting to depart from this gorgeous area. The Alhambra is an Arabic palace/fortress, constructed in the 13th century on top of a small Roman fortress built in AD 889. The intricate work is stunning, with barely a single spot on any wall, ceiling or floor that hasn’t been ornately carved with scripture or flowers in plaster, and mathematical patterns laid out in tile. The gardens are like a paradise on Earth, with water fountains, pools, columns, and blooming trees, flowers and bushes. We spent the entire day there!
November sail with Doug and Merrilee and our main gets stuck!
The Roman Bridge in Cordoba
Seville's Cathedral below, an excellent Flamenco show, and a walk around the Alcazar. The lady in red cracks me up as she stops to listen to Merrilee reading from the guide book to Con, Doug and me.
Photos below: The Alhambra Palace (Taj Mahal of Europe) located in Granada, Spain.
Touring Cartagena with Doug and Merrilee
Cartagena -- For a few euros each, we explored the Cartagena museum and castle, walking through centuries of history. Plenty of civilizations have passed through this region since it was founded in 229 BC as Carthage. The Punics, Romans, Phoenicians, Byzantines, Moors and a healthy medieval period. It has an impressive defensive harbour and is today home to the Spanish navy.
Cordoba -- On our five-day road trip through Cordoba, Seville, and Granada we learned how the area changed hands many times from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Visigoths in 572, the Arabs in 711 and growing in stature and beauty with mosques, bazaars, and in intellect with great libraries. By 1031 Cordoba began to decline with the arrival of the Almohads. Catholic Christianity sprung up in 1236 with the arrival of Saint Ferdinand III who expelled the Muslims and built onto the Romanesque cathedrals transforming it to Gothic. By the 15th century, Christopher Columbus is now on the scene seeking money from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella for his exploration to the New World. At the time, the King expelled all the Jews shrinking the tax base in the city, so the money given to Columbus didn't come easily but finally Isabella granted him the coin. During the 17th - 19th century the French occupy the city looting the treasures and damaging the historic buildings. From 1936-39 Spain suffered in their Civil War. With the help of tourism over the years, the city has been restored into a treasure. We booked into a pretty hotel in the centre of the old part of the city for one night. A restored Roman bridge crosses the river which is home to many species of birds and trees.
Seville -- Driving on to the capital city, we stayed for two nights in another gem of a city booking into a beautiful hotel in the old section, very near the enormous Cathedral/Mosque, the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. Seville is located on the Guadaquiver River.
Granada -- Our last stop was the city housing The Alhumbra, a stunning palace built during the Arabic occupation. The city is located at the foot of the Sierra Mountains, and our bodies immediately felt the cool change in the temperature.
Cordoba -- On our five-day road trip through Cordoba, Seville, and Granada we learned how the area changed hands many times from the fall of the Roman Empire to the Visigoths in 572, the Arabs in 711 and growing in stature and beauty with mosques, bazaars, and in intellect with great libraries. By 1031 Cordoba began to decline with the arrival of the Almohads. Catholic Christianity sprung up in 1236 with the arrival of Saint Ferdinand III who expelled the Muslims and built onto the Romanesque cathedrals transforming it to Gothic. By the 15th century, Christopher Columbus is now on the scene seeking money from King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella for his exploration to the New World. At the time, the King expelled all the Jews shrinking the tax base in the city, so the money given to Columbus didn't come easily but finally Isabella granted him the coin. During the 17th - 19th century the French occupy the city looting the treasures and damaging the historic buildings. From 1936-39 Spain suffered in their Civil War. With the help of tourism over the years, the city has been restored into a treasure. We booked into a pretty hotel in the centre of the old part of the city for one night. A restored Roman bridge crosses the river which is home to many species of birds and trees.
Seville -- Driving on to the capital city, we stayed for two nights in another gem of a city booking into a beautiful hotel in the old section, very near the enormous Cathedral/Mosque, the largest Gothic Cathedral in the world. Seville is located on the Guadaquiver River.
Granada -- Our last stop was the city housing The Alhumbra, a stunning palace built during the Arabic occupation. The city is located at the foot of the Sierra Mountains, and our bodies immediately felt the cool change in the temperature.
November 11 -- Doug and Merrilee left today--Remembrance Day--after sharing a few fabulous weeks with us. Last night, the icing on the holiday cake was the Chick Corea Concert we attended, at the Auditorio El Batel just 50 paces or so from our boat. World famous Jazz musician Chick Corea, fourth most nominated artist in the history of the Grammys with 22 awards and 63 nominations and known as the guy that gave birth to the electric jazz fusion movement played for two hours straight with Steve Gadd. Steve is one of the most influential percussionists in contemporary music and some say one of the ten most accomplished performers in the world. It was awesome!
Mid November to January 1st, we were in The Netherlands, Canada, and Conroe, Texas.