Cruising into the Canaries

 

Arrival at Tenerife and Grand Canaria brought us firmly back into the world of Europe.  High Streets with department stores, boutiques and shoe shops.  Familiar names such as Zara, Mango, C&A, Clark's, United Colours of Benetton and M&S at every turn. 

In some ways this was quite reassuring but did I actually want to return to civilisation after such a wonderful holiday?!

Seeing the moon set behind the hills of Grand Canaria at dawn was truly spectacular and is a sight I will long remember.

Out and about on my wanders I tried to avoid the shops and in these two locations my attention was drawn to the ornate balconies

       To the interesting doorways and arches

 

                                                And even to the dilapidated buildings.

In Tenerife a wave of "end of cruise" depression descended on me.  What will I miss?

Getting up at dawn to watch & photograph as we glide into a new port.  I became known as Shirley Valentine to one fellow cruiser!

 Pounding the boards of The Prom Deck directly after breakfast and greeting the other walkers:  a lady from Helsinki who does 18 laps every morning, friends from the morning art class waking themselves up to get the creative juices flowing, and two portly gentlemen who have been gitting fitter and fitter every week.

The morning art class has been an important part of sea days - chatting to table mates and (for myself) attempting to create a passable picture.

                           An exhibition of our work was held on the very last day of the cruise.

Aurora Art Exhibition

Aurora Art Exhibition

I shall miss James, my cabin steward, who was always about at 7.30 to say Good Morning with a smile and always there at 9.15 pm to say Good Night.

Live entertainment in the evenings has made a wonderful change from watching TV at home.  Singers and shows in the Curzon Theatre, dancers in Carmen's, and concerts in The Playhouse.

 

The absolute highlight has to be the shows given by Callabro but I am not certain that this lady (who is well past her prime) is up to seeing such handsome young men in the restaurant at breakfast time!

Food, of course, plays a major part in any cruise.  Breakfast, lunch, afternoon tea, dinner and late night snacks.  However your weight would escalate alarmingly if you partook of all thes meals!  Restaurants are numerous but I normally use the buffet in The Horizon.  "The Regulars" have their own favourite tables - Dave and Frank from Portsmouth have been on for the whole World Cruise - as has David from Blackburn.  We are the proverbially "ships that pass in the night" and it is doubtful that any of us will ever find ourselves on the same ship at the same time in the future.  But for the briefest moments in time it has been good to chat with others about ones day - that is before rushing up to the servery to fill a plate with MORE food!