Adonia Cruise Part 3 - Lisbon

Saturday 5 May 2012
We arrived at Lisbon at 9am, having been sailing up the river since 7am. After a bit of a rocky evening and night, the weather was glorious. Adonia was very stable and in fact it was only really noticeable how much we were pitching when you looked at the horizon.

Caryll and I set off after breakfast to explore on foot. We docked at the bottom of the Alfama District just behind HAL Rotterdam. As we set off Thompson Spirit was arriving too. The Alfama or Arab quarter area is very attractive with narrow winding streets and locals going about their business. We entered the Church of St John the Baptist where a local was eager to explain all about the church to us. Then walked to the Cathedral and into the main city centre. We found a café and sat outside, close to the Triumphal Arch at the centre of Commercial Square and had a coffee. After a bit more wandering we caught the free shuttle bus back to the ship. The sun was quite hot, although there were a few clouds around too. As we arrived back at the dockside, we walked up to the other two ships to take photos. No one was bothered which was a nice change. We left at 3.30 as we have to get round to Gibraltar for tomorrow. 

Another excellent dinner of barramundi after a cocktail in Andersons and a couple of dances.  After dinner Caryll and I went to the syndicate quiz and won again - 19/20. Then to bed as the clocks were being put forward that night.


Sunday 6 May 2012

We woke at 8am to a beautiful bright morning and an announcement from the bridge that a pod of well over 100 dolphins were on the starboard side. Suffice it to say they had disappeared by the time I had thrown on some clothes! After breakfast out on deck again Caryll went to the church service and I found a chair on the prom deck. We were in the Straits of Gibraltar approaching the narrowest point with our arrival due at 1pm. There was lots of shipping to watch and a few more dolphins.

After berthing, Caryll and I walked into town. We had an hour or so to explore before meeting a friend in Casemates Square. Despite being here a couple of times before I had always done tours so have never actually walked up the main street, which was very nice. We looked in a church on the way and I bought some perfume, before we headed back to enjoy a leisurely coffee and chat in the sun with Anthea. As we returned to the ship, Rotterdam and Brilliance of the Seas had arrived. As we were the first to leave, the sailaway in the sun was brilliant, watching the two other ships fade into the distance as we headed off round Europa Point towards Sardinia.