Dawn to the West

[Port Power]

5 hours ago, Port Power said:

Malaga in the morning.

 

 

Oops! There’s had been so much talk about the next port that I mixed them up.  This is Cartagena. 😬

[canderson]

@Port Power

How long do the S.A.L.T. classes typically last?

 

 

[Port Power]

18 minutes ago, canderson said:

@Port Power

How long do the S.A.L.T. classes typically last?

 

 

 

Close enough to one hour.  It was thoroughly enjoyable.  I hope that I have the opportunity to participate in another class on this cruise leg.

[Mahogany]

2 hours ago, Port Power said:

 

Close enough to one hour.  It was thoroughly enjoyable.  I hope that I have the opportunity to participate in another class on this cruise leg.

Any idea what the theme will be for the classes on the crossing? 

[canderson]

6 minutes ago, Mahogany said:

Any idea what the theme will be for the classes on the crossing? 

Given where we will be for the first part, lots of Portuguese food? 😄  Arroz de Pato might be fun!

[Port Power]

58 minutes ago, Mahogany said:

Any idea what the theme will be for the classes on the crossing? 

As the dishes on this trip are all based around the ports we visit, I guess, like @canderson, that the first classes will be Portuguese inspired.  There will be a list in the Lab on embarkation day.  Sign up was between 3:00-5:00pm.  One class guaranteed, two others can be waitlisted.

[saatuk]

1 hour ago, canderson said:

Given where we will be for the first part, lots of Portuguese food? 😄  Arroz de Pato might be fun!

There have to be sardines involved.

[canderson]

40 minutes ago, Port Power said:

As the dishes on this trip are all based around the ports we visit, I guess, like @canderson, that the first classes will be Portuguese inspired.  There will be a list in the Lab on embarkation day.  Sign up was between 3:00-5:00pm.  One class guaranteed, two others can be waitlisted.

On a TA, I would guess there will be more classes available than on a typical voyage.

[Port Power]

2 hours ago, canderson said:

On a TA, I would guess there will be more classes available than on a typical voyage.

I wouldn’t expect so.  A class in the morning and another at 3:00pm, so two classes every day are a lot already.

[Host Jazzbeau]

If they don't offer it, ask them to make this recipe for you:

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Port Power said:

I wouldn’t expect so.  A class in the morning and another at 3:00pm, so two classes every day are a lot already.

Ah, OK.  I didn't realize they held these on port days.  Still learning.

[Mahogany]

10 hours ago, canderson said:

Given where we will be for the first part, lots of Portuguese food? 😄  Arroz de Pato might be fun!

The first ports, Canary Islands, are Spanish: paella again?

[taxatty]

5 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

If they don't offer it, ask them to make this recipe for you:

Best tarts ever--we overdosed on these in a few Lisbon bakeries. 

[Host Jazzbeau]

20 minutes ago, taxatty said:

Best tarts ever--we overdosed on these in a few Lisbon bakeries. 

I taste-tested them all over Portugal, and these from the Scenic river ship demonstration were the best – because they were so fresh.  They're like Krispy Kremes in this one way: much better if 'the light is on' [i.e. they are still warm from the oven].

[canderson]

1 hour ago, Mahogany said:

The first ports, Canary Islands, are Spanish: paella again?

Derp... not coming back through the Azores like last year!  It's been a c4azy week.

[DavyWavey70]

I Know it’s naughty to mention it but they had fabulous Pasties on Crystal every day in the Bistro. They were rather special. Maybe SS could think about them in the Arts Cafe? 

[Port Power]

Thursday 16 November 2023.  Valencia, Spain.

 

My excursion was to the pretty town of Requena, an hour’s drive from the port.

 

Valencia is very proud of its Arts and Science buildings, and many people enjoyed the tour of the opera house.  I only managed a picture of the aquarium on the way past, which we were told is the largest in Europe.  There are two white whales there.   The guide did not specify what type of whales though!

 

 

 

 

Right next to are warehouses where oranges used to be stored for shipping overseas.  More recently these lovely buildings were used as pit stops and to house cars competing in the Formula 1 Grand Prix.  

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Port Power
Add photos

[Port Power]

We walked up into the Old Town of Requena, past the old Arab walls.  It was an Arabian walled city from the 8th-11th centuries.

 

 

 

 

Santa Maria gothic church was built in the 14th century and is now still used for concerts.  It has been a national monument since 1931.

 

 

An interesting moment was seeing this silk museum.  Silk cloth was a major industry back in the day.  
 

 

 

A street view in the old town.

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Port Power

[highplanesdrifters]

Thanks for all the great info and pics!  Keep em coming!

[Port Power]

My photos are still not transferring from iPhone to iPad, so I am writing the text on one and then editing on my phone to add photos.  I can see another help session with my trivia team member coming up.  He happens to work for Apple!

 

Our trivia team has been very successful.  There is the family of three from eastern Australia and myself from the west, and a couple from Belgium.  Roy asks hard questions, but we keep managing to place.  We can second with 13/20, which reflect the standard of questions he sets.

[Port Power]

The above was just the walk to the main event.  Underneath this old city there are 1200 sq metres of caves, dug out by hand in the 14th-16th centuries.  They fell into disuse in the 17th century and were only discovered by accident in the 1970s during a renovation project.

 

These caves were all private, reached from stairs with each house.  At a consistent 16 degrees centigrade, the caves were used to store wine, water and olive oil.  Grain was also stored, wheat for making bread, because it was also dry down there.  It was a totally unexpected and incredible excursion!

 

 

 

 

 

 

There was also an ossuary, reached by stairs underneath the church.  No bones remain there today.

 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Port Power
Add photos

[Port Power]

The tour ended with a visit to a small production local winery, Pago de Tharsys.  We went through the cellar and then tasted their cava, a rosé type wine, and full flavoured red.  The rosé was savoury and rather weird, but not horrible.  The other two were very nice.

 

 

 

Wine production started in this area 2,500 years ago with the Phoenicians.  At that time the wine produced was a clear, light coloured wine.

Edited November 18, 2023 by Port Power

[Port Power]

Friday 18 November 2023.  Cartagena, Spain.

 

Our neighbour at the port.

 

 

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Port Power

[Port Power]

Jumping ahead, our neighbour again today, Saturday, in Malaga.  I saw it from La Terrazza last night as it sailed alongside.  Too big for most of us here on Silver Dawn!

 

Edited November 18, 2023 by Port Power

[Port Power]

I was looking down from my balcony and noticed movement in the water. There are dozens of huge fish at surface level.  They look like carp from here.  I will have to ask someone with local knowledge of Malaga.