On the day of departure from the cruise it’s a weird feeling. To begin the cruise you feel all welcomed by everyone, but at the end you just seem to be in the way. 😕
Firstly our mini bar had been locked by the time we came back to the cabin last night. Then we had to be clear of our cabins by ten o’clock even though we weren’t docking until two.
We’d hoped to have a third doorknob menu for breakfast but that had been knocked on the head as well 😕.
On leaving the cabin we met our cabin boy for the first time. He thanked us for his tip and said he’d be changing the bed whilst we were out. We were assured we could still get back in for our bags. Phew.
So we were up at a reasonable time for breakfast to join our dutchies and found the buffet had been invaded by the extra million people who’d boarded yesterday in Genoa.
I don’t think I need to say that the food hadn’t changed. Still the same. We’d hoped that the cooking crew had been replaced in Genoa too but we were not that lucky. It appeared that MSC’s head office was there.
Back to the cabin to pick up bags and head for the pigale (we call it the piggle or piggy) lounge. I went to see if any of the photos I’d had the previous evening were selectable and finalised the choice so they could create my photo memory card.
We had lunch at twelve trying to stretch out the time until we left.
Anyone who knows me knows I have an issue saying goodbye. It’s my trigger word for the avalanche of tears. So after the loss of the tissues I had, I beefed up the stakes and grabbed one of the heavy duty serviettes that are always wrapped around the cutlery. I was armed with the big guns now haha.
White stick-on discs had been allocated to us for the departure time of two so we gathered with the other ‘whites’ back in piggy/le lounge. Our dutchies were grey (colour of disc not the colour we should all have been after the consumption of the hideous food). We said tearful farewells (just me of course as I have enough for everyone) and commenced yet another million steps out of the ship. Even the photographer who’d taken a shine to Christine was there on the deck to say good bye. Awwww. 🥰
It was actually not too bad really on trying to find our cases. Probably because this cruise line allows for embarking and disembarking at what seems to be nearly all destinations. So you’re only one of a couple of hundred rather than a couple of thousand. Taxis aplenty and we were off to find our airbnb accommodation in Las Ramblas.
It’s not as super nice as our Hostal Apolo a week or so ago but it’s clean and a lot less expensive in this area of town than a hotel. BUT really close to Las Ramblas.
Dinner was next and after walking a couple of blocks we came across a really nice place called Restaurant Nuria. Food was really good and it was ALL EDIBLE. Fancy that!!!
We had a carafe of their sangria to accompany the chicken paella, my tapas, ice cream and my tiramisu. First time since leaving Northern Ireland that I have a full tummy. What a great feeling😋.
Christine has managed to capture a cold in the last few days on board (I think it was from a lady who’d just come on board and was coughing everywhere)😡 But I guess I’m the last one to talk as I’d had a terrible cough for the first three weeks of my holiday (mine wasn’t a cold though). Anyway we retired to bed early as it had been yet another big day.
Lady Boomer 