A cruise can be a really nice vacation. There’s wonderful food and you are waited on hand and foot. The suites (cabins, staterooms - each ship calls it something different) are luxurious, lovely and comfortable. And there’s nothing like being able to just go down the hall to the club, instead of having to drive 20 miles and scrounge around for parking (same for the caf, the spa and the library).
This was a trans-Atlantic crossing. We started in Ft. Lauderdale and sailed to Lisbon, stopping at Bermuda and at Funchal, Madeira.
Grey Ft. Lauderdale
It was grey when we left Florida and it remained that way pretty much all of the time we were at sea. There were exceptions though. The sun decided to bless our Bermuda stop and that was the only really good weather we saw.
Bermuda wasn’t on the scheduled trip; we were told that for refueling reasons, we had to go there first and we would then proceed across the Atlantic. I’m glad to have had the chance to see it. We docked at St. George and Dad and I walked around there all morning. It’s a quiet, clean and beautiful little town.
Terrace
There are terraces like this everywhere off the main street and two or three buildings might share this space. They are shaded and some have flowers planted in colorful arrangements. What was most striking and appealing to me is that there wasn’t a gum wrapper, empty beer bottle or cigarette butt in sight. The architecture may be humble, but the absence of obvious litter made things seem fresh and elegant.
St. George Town Hall
Bermuda is noted for its pink sand, but many of the buildings are also pink. The stationers (where I bought a protractor and a compass), the Bank of Bermuda building and even the Town Hall are all pink. There are other colors, but they are all pastels - aqua, peach, pale yellow and cream. The island, from a slight distance, looks like it’s dotted with large bits of candy.
As soon as we got back out to sea, the weather turned on us again so the crossing was very rough. I have enough problems with balance as it is, never mind on a ship that’s tossing around on the waves. It’s amazing how the body learns to compensate for that though, and it’s astonishing how quickly it adapts. I am, thank goodness, not prone to sea-sickness, though some of the passengers had a pretty miserable time.
We reached Funchal, Madeira 9 days later. The cruise line had arranged for us all to have tea at Reids, a grand hotel, very much in the old British Empire style. It was incredibly elegant (which, of course, made me nervous and self-conscious) and tea was superb served by tuxedoed and white-gloved waiters and accompanied by a truly excellent classical violinist.
Funchal itself is quite pretty. Part of the Madeira Archipelago, it rise up like a mountain top sticking out of the sea. The tip is in the clouds, so it’s rising quite a long ways up. The streets are steep and narrow and the cars are tiny! I saw lots of Peugeots, Renaults, Volkswagens and Toyotas and one immense (in comparison) BMW - but only one American car - a Ford Focus. And it was bigger than most of the others.
Unfortunately, I have no pictures of Funchal as it was teeming rain when we left the ship and I had decided not to risk my camera. You know where this is going, right? About halfway to the hotel, it stopped raining, the sun partially appeared, and the weather settled down until we were back on the ship!
Some of the Madeira Archipelago
Two days later, we disembarked in Lisbon and went straight from the ship to the airport.
Christ the King looking over the Tagus River and bridge
Even though it was still grey and cloudy, the glimpses of Lisbon that I got through the windows of the bus made me wish I could spend a few days there.
There was a curious arrangement at the airport, somewhat reminiscent of a sundial. Aside of the gnomon, though, there were only seven stones. Dad and I stood there and tried to figure out what it represented, but couldn’t really come up with anything.
Shadow Stones at Lisbon Airport
If anyone has any idea what these are, please let me know - I’m really curious! It’s probably just a bit of non-representational art, but it seems as though it might have a function.
Two or three days before the end of a trip, some idiot part of me starts chanting:
Home, home,
I want to go home…
And it keeps on, waking and sleeping, increasing in intensity, until I actually walk through the front door.
I got home late Saturday night after spending about 10 hours in the air. I still haven’t unpacked yet as I’ve been catching up on sleep :) I can never really rest on an airplane. I will say that British Airways really does things in style. There were movies and music for entertainment and some surprisingly good food - not at all what I generally think of as the usual “plastic” airplane food.
This is the last trip. I am grateful for the cruises my father has shared with me and for being able to see parts of the world I never thought I would visit. But I am overjoyed to be home and to be able to stay home. It occurred to me on the long flight from London to Boston, that there isn’t a single thing I would change about my life. I am happy with it, with the people in it, with it’s rhythms and routines. It mighn’t be everyone’s cup of tea (in fact I suspect some would find it distinctly odd) but it suits me right down to the ground. And no matter how magnificent a trip or a cruise might be (clicking heels together three times) there’s no place like home.
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Lisbon is GORGEOUS! And a great place to go if you like ceramics. Good gods above, if you do, you’ll go crazy.
I went there when I was twelve, so I don’t remember much beyond my little brother only eating french fries for the month that we were there. Then he got stung by a jellyfish. And we went to a lot of cloisters. Oh, and then we found a McDonalds, and my brothers and I rejoiced as only small children in foreign countries can.
So, maybe I remember more than I’m letting on. But it’s a beautiful country and lots of fun. And in the summer, the sun doesn’t set until 11 pm, so think of all the fun you could have!
Ciaozino!
Christina - It certainly looked lovely, even from the bus - even in the rain! I’d love to have some time there to explore :)
Welcome back!
