3rd November- Malaga is just outside the cabin window

We awoke to the sounds of the Ship’s American Cruise Directress saying in a loud voice over the tannoy system, “Ladees an Genelmen welcome to Malgaaa and its 7.20 in this wonderful city and those booked on tours better get here in the next ten minutes.”

We were not going on any tours, apart from our own one later, and so rolled back in to bed after looking over the city of “Malgaaa” for a few minutes.

Noel wanted to check on our UK bank account and was unsure whether to use the expensive ship’s system or risk on-shore internet shops when who knows might be watching. So prudence prevailed and of course it’s not always as you would expect.

Noel signed up for the US 0.75 per minute and then discovered that there was an additional US 3.65 set up fee, damn!, anyway he carried on and finally got it working and went on to Lloyds bank website. Part of the way through the security systems up came the message saying that they were closing their online banking site as they are upgrading their systems. What! at 0745 in the morning, are they bloody mad?. So Noel went in the shower and cooled down and ten minutes later tried again with the same result and he has now spent US 7.00 and not got anywhere, not a good start to the day.

Anyway after a brief breakfast in the open garden room on the top deck overlooking the City we left and went ashore and 15 minutes later had a much needed cup of ‘Dos Café con leche pour favour- Gracias Senor ’ and much to our surprise we actually got the required coffees. Amazing what a linguist?.

We were aware of an open top bus tour with a hop on and off capability and eventually found the bus stop and approx £32.00 later, not cheap this thing, we headed off round the City and up in the hills, through tunnels, around road works and finally ended up back where we almost started from. We got off the bus and headed in to town and checked the Tourist information about Internet Shops and were pointed to a street five minutes away which had a number of shops and so we were able to check email, update the Blog and also check Lloyds bank which took almost 30 minutes altogether and the bill was US $ 0.75 , we got 30 minutes for US0.75 cents when earlier Noel had spent 5 minutes and spent $ 7.00, brilliant.

We came across the general food market where there was a great selection of fish (which looked really fresh), vegetables, fruit and also meat all housed in a lovely old building.

Lunchtime called and we found a nice street café and had a sandwich and drink and then ten minutes later an excellent ice cream which then proceeded to drip everywhere in the heat. Oh yes did I mention it was about 22 degrees centigrade.

We walked slowly back in the direction of Port through the park and under the palm trees and listened to the birds, very nice. Malaga has some wonderful old buildings and some of the streets are very wide and just like some streets in Paris.

The Port is being rebuilt thanks to the EU and Noel and Jennifer’s hard earned money and this is to get it ready as the City of Culture for 2016. My question is why the EU has to fund 65% of the cost of rebuilding a Port in Spain, absolutely ridiculous. I blame Tony Blair and Gordon Brown.

Back on board we had a nice cup of tea overlooking the bay and at 5pm on the dot, give or take ten minutes, come on this is Spain you know, we pulled out and set sail and headed down the East Coast of Southern Spain past Marbella and several other towns in the direction of Gibraltar where we will pass through the straight at about 10 pm tonight. Noel is busy getting the British Flag ready and practising with a Comb and toilet paper the National Anthem which must be played at the appropriate time. Hopefully he will also try for some photos at night of the old rock and roll.

We had a nice dinner in the garden café, although it’s a bit self- service you can at least control the plate size. Last nights international cheese plate caused a rumpus as it was difficult to find the bits of cheese under the grapes and four small biscuits, but in the garden café there is whole Brie and many other cheeses waiting to be challenged.

Whilst waiting for Gibralter to arrive we started chatting to the guy in the next cabin over the balcony and it would appear that he has been on over sixty cruises and you name a place then he has been there. Apart from his houses in New York, and San Francisco and Florida and he visited Vienna just for a birthday lunch. Sounds like my lifestyle and although not perhaps the nicest guy in the world he did offer Noel a Cognac which he had smuggled on board in his main luggage.

Tomorrow morning we arrive in Cadiz which I am sure is famous for something naval, perhaps it was CC or Sir FD or somebody like that but no doubt we will see a Maersk Container vessel instead.

See you tomorrow.