GENOA TO LISBON CRUISE

30th October 2017
Our last delicious breakfast for a while I'm sure, as we say our goodbyes to our lovely hosts and head towards Chiavari on the coast, about 40klm from Genova.
We drive across the mountain ranges and stop in to the resort town of La Spezia on the coast. There are a couple of cruise ships in and a few tourists around but we find a quiet spot opposite the marina to eat our picnic lunch and relax for a while before continuing our drive. Well it was quiet except for the pigeons and and huge gulls that wanted us to share lunch.
A lot of these towns would be so busy during the summer season I really wouldn't want to visit then.
We arrive at Chiavari and it is much larger than I imagined, I guess a lot of the towns along this coast are part of the Italian Riviera and cater for holiday makers most of the year.
The place we are staying is another Airbnb and it is up on a hill overlooking the town and coast. OMG what a road, it is quite narrow and winding and some parts have no guard rail and the drivers think there is no one else coming around the corner so they may as well take both sides.
Glad we are just here for 2 nights the drive up and down here would do my head in. Gary doesn't worry

at all he just takes it easy calls them idiots and keeps going.
The view is wonderful and there is heaps of space, including a nice outdoor kitchen/ dining area with great views. We will enjoy our breakfasts there.
We cook a nice dinner and sit admiring the views. We certainly have had some great views on this trip.

31st October 2017
A good night's sleep and a great sunrise to start the day. We enjoy our croissants and cuppa in the outdoor dining area, it's a bit chilly but the view makes up for that.
Today we go to Portofino another town very popular in summer. The road is quite good and very scenic in parts until we come around a corner and it looks like a bus and car have had a head on. Well they will cut the corners. The road is not wide enough to go anywhere and fortunately it's not too long to wait. We are a bit confused as to what happened as the bus drives off and I could see no damage, the car moves out the way a bit but they are standing in the road arguing amongst each other in what sounds like German. No idea but maybe he avoided the bus and scraped the wall of rock as I couldn't see that side of the car and his wife was yelling at him. No idea. Anyway we carry on our way.
We go through another town on the coast, Santa Margherita, which we thought would be little village but it's very upmarket and seems to have a

lot of the large expensive hotels and large villas. We continue onto Portofino which is in small cove and is very pretty and smaller than I expected, we find a small cafe for lunch opposite the marina and chill out for a while.
Poor Gary there is a souvenir shop next door and i just have to have a look. He's lucky, not too much bought there.
A nice slow drive back and up that scary hill again and time to cook some spaghetti for dinner. Even on holidays there is cooking and cleaning to be done but Gary helps and he enjoys my cooking. Well he says he does.
We have to squash everything in our cases and clean out the car as we leave it to go on the cruise to Lisbon tomorrow and 4 days that Gary doesn't have to drive I hope he is going to enjoy that.

1st November 2017
We set off early to head to Genova. We are dropping the car back to the airport as its the closest depot to the cruise terminal.
Sad to say goodbye to our little Alfa it's been a great, reliable and economical car and fun to drive for the last 4 weeks.
We drag our suitcases to a taxi and head to the port. We are early and hoping that will let us board a bit earlier than our time of 2pm. Heaps of other people have the same idea and it's standing room only in the waiting area. We do get on much earlier and have a quick look around before sitting down to some lunch before our bags get to

our room.
The ship is MSC Preziosa, an Italian company and it is huge,
measuring 330 meters long and 75 meters high like a floating city with 4000 others. The cruise is a repositioning cruise that goes all the way to Brazil. We are just having 4 nights to Lisbon, Portugal.
There seems to be heaps of South Americans on board as well as Italians and then probably Germans and French .You can just imagine how noisy it can get with groups of excited Italian and Brazilians .
The cabin is quite good size for a cruise ship, there is a small couch and table and we also have a balcony that makes a bit more room to sit and have a drink and catch some sun.
We take another quick tour around the ship before getting changed and heading to dinner. You can have dinner in the main restaurant where you are allotted a table and time either first sitting at 630pm or late sitting at 830pm, in the buffet or one of the restaurants that you pay an extra fee for. We have a 630pm timeslot and are seated with a lady from England and her daughter from Ireland and a young couple from England. They are all pretty quiet at first but we get them chatting. I guess they try and put the same nationalities together.
Dinner is nice but it's not the standard of a Celebrity or Royal Caribbean cruise, just basic meals but it's nice not to cook and clean up so I'm happy. We check out of few of the bars and

sitting areas after dinner and then head back to the cabin for an early night. Most of the themed parties or dance type nights don't start until 1030- 11pm that's too late for us old people.

2nd November 2017
Today we have a short stop in Barcelona, we don't dock until about 12pm so there is no rush this morning.
We thought we would check out the spas and get up just before sunrise, which isn't until about 715am so not really an early start for us. I have really been craving to soak my legs in a bath with all the walking and a spa seems like a good idea. There is hardly anyone about and we get a few nice pics as the sun comes up, no one else is in the other spas around but a lovely fat old man decides he will sit with us. I'm more horrified about getting out in front of him but I'm not staying in there, so there goes my nice soak.
Another problem on this cruise is you can smoke on certain sides and places on the ship. It's just horrible when you want to sit and have a coffee or cocktail and someone lights up but I guess we have been having that the whole trip so far.
We decide we will get the short transfer bus into Barcelona rather than walk from the terminal and it's just a 10 minute trip. It's very busy as there are 4 cruise ships in and people everywhere. We just have a wander around a few of the streets, grab a coffee and then head back to the ship. I am glad we are not staying right in Barcelona when we

come back as it seems all a bit busy and too many people trying to sell stuff every few feet.
Back on board and a quick shower and change before dinner.
We get a few photos by the ships photographer and then head to the show after dinner. Well I really don't know how to describe their so called spectacular. It was strange, had no continuity and only lasted 30 minutes, definitely not what we have experienced on any other cruise. Just really disappointing. I think we need a drink after that, Gary is still shaking his head saying I don't know what that was all about. It was supposed to have a storyline and it was singing and dancing but no idea what about.

3rd November 2017
Today is a day at sea, so time to chill out, relax and enjoy. We have a nice breakfast with a great view across the ocean and decide what to do for the day. I won't be sitting in any spas that's for sure with 4000 people stuck on board that's going to be far too many squashed in together.
There is a Bavarian morning so we take a look and there is beer and pretzels so Gary is happy. Don't think we will be participating in the dancing lessons or aerobics out on deck though.
There are plenty of nice areas and lounges on board and a lot of places don't have many people in them seeing there are so many onboard. It just feels busy at breakfast and lunch in the Buffett when it sometimes looks like a feeding frenzy and people

have no idea about personal space.
We are still being asked if we want to buy this drink package or this spa package after 3 days onboard it gets a bit annoying. If we want a package we'll buy it we we first get onboard. I guess a cheaper cruise price and they have to push their stuff more.
I showed the barman how to make me a Midori splice so I could enjoy a cocktail or two and they also made a nice Bailey's Alexander. Two is enough for me, I will sleep well tonight.

4th November 2017
Up early this morning so we can head to the feeding frenzy before we dock at 8am in Cadiz, Spain. The old town area is very close to the port so we will just be having a stroll around today as we are here until 6pm there is no real rush and certainly no need to do a tour.
The streets are very quiet at this time and look very clean. Again lots of narrow, cobbled laneways and streets and lots of little shops and cafes. We head towards to old castle that is on a peninsula at the beach. It's quite a large ,sandy beach and I imagine it would be quite busy in summer. There is a large English style pavilion further up the beach we can see but it looks like be all shut up.
It's a nice walk along the causeway to the castle but disappointing to find it closed when we get there, they seemed to be doing renovation on the lighthouse there,so maybe that's the reason. It's a lovely sunny day again so it's still a nice

stroll.
We have been so spoilt with the weather, I think we have had light drizzle for a short time one day and that's it. So many sunny days all the winter gear is gathering dust in the case, I'm sure it will be out soon though.
We walk back to the main town area and have a look through the local market on the way ,so many stalls with cheeses, meats and seafood and lots of banter between the stallholders. Time for a nice coffee and to rest our legs.
Walking through the streets we come across a large town square and cathedral. Lots of people selling stuff and all the cafes and bars around the outside. We head up a small laneway hoping to avoid some of the crowds and come across what looks to be a small bar offering Tapas with a couple of tables and stools outside. We try to decipher the menu and I take a quick look inside. The owner shows me what's cooking for tapas so I can choose and work out what I am ordering. It is bigger than I thought and there are at least 20 old motorbikes inside, I think I better call Gary in for a look. Gary has a chat with the owner ( as best they could understand each other) and he used to race in motocross. I think he must have been well-known locally as there are a few trophies and small tour group was walking out as we first walked up. You just never know the hidden gems you will find by just strolling around. And the tapas was delicious, we had about 5 little share plates and that was heaps to fill us up. We take a slow

stroll back to the ship so we some have time for a rest and change before dinner. And maybe a cocktail or two. Tonight is formal night so I finally get to wear one of the dresses I bought. We get a few photos taken on the crystal staircase on board and head to dinner, just the young couple there tonight and we have a nice chat over dinner. We won't be heading to the nightly spectacular show, once is enough I think. There is a nice lounge with live music so we just sit and chill for a while.