For years in our working life we would take a Spring cruise during April break when Joanne was teaching and I was still free before the start of my company’s busy season. We always felt it was a perfect week to get some sunshine, get re-charged, and just relax before the Spring push and then the summer season. Usually the cruises were to the Bahamas, Caribbean,  or Mexico. So many times we had met other cruisers on these trips that were (a little older & retired) scheduled to walk off a cruise and walk immediately onto another. We always imagined someday doing the same and this was to be that moment for us…

Departing the Panama Canal Cruise ship in Ft Lauderdale had us gathering our things and then immediately boarding another ship for a 2 week Transatlantic cruise.  We had made arrangements to meet Joanne’s sister and husband at the dock where they would also be taking the trip with us. Deb & Tony have done transatlantic/re-positioning cruises for years though this would be our first. We were all excited to share this adventure together!

Cheers as we depart the Ft Lauderdale port…

Leaving Ft Lauderdale, Florida

It didn’t take long for us to settle into our balcony room and find our daily groove of working out in the mornings, relaxing by the pools, dinners …, and then attending the on-board shows. The first few days it was beautiful departing Florida, though after those couple of days the weather got significantly cooler so we had to find a different routine than poolside relaxation. Afternoons soon took place at a favorite spot mid-ship where the 4 of us played card games every day and then shared a beverage for “Happy Hour”.

The sisters finding a hot tub in the afternoon…

Deb & Tony taught us several new card games including “Sevens” and “Canasta”. Canasta became the go-to recreation each afternoon, once we got a handle on the rules ??? One day while Mike was ordering our drinks Joanne, Deb & Tony stacked a deal on Mike which ended up being a disaster for Mike while playing. He couldn’t believe how bad his luck was during the game until he made the following comment, “It’s almost like someone stacked the entire deal against me” and then the 3 of them couldn’t hold back any longer and all burst into laughter. Mike was a good sport even though his play was pitiful that game…

Afternoon Card Games…

After 6 days at sea we arrived at the port of Ponta Delgado, part of the Azores Islands of Portugal. Along with our first Port stop in 6 days we also had our first day of rain since leaving Florida. We walked about 5 miles in San Miguel, visiting the Antonio Borges Gardens, exploring the architecture/ churches and then took a surprise tour of the US Coast Guard Barque Eagle Clipper ship docked right next to us for the day… ✅off another country on this trip “Portugal”.

Downtown Ponta Delgado , Portugal

Antonio Borges Gardens Azores, Portugal

Antonio Borges Gardens Azores, Portugal

US Coast Guard Barque Eagle Clipper ship…

One thing about doing a transatlantic cruise is the time changes are much easier on the body as opposed to flying. For several days we gained an hour almost each day. For the entire month on the ships we actually gained 9 hours over the duration of the trip. Take a look at this graphic…

Since leaving California on April 1st we have had a lot of time changes…

Back on the boat we had been invited to go to dinner with a person that we had met on the Panama Canal first 2 weeks “Casey”. Casey had been seated at a table with us with several other eclectic passengers and we struck up a friendship over that first 2 weeks. Casey also was continuing on the transatlantic cruise so we introduced Deb & Tony to him and then we all gathered for dinner one evening joined by Casey’s friend from Portugal, the Director of Marketing for the ship. Fernando was entertaining and answered so many of our questions during dinner. He oversaw excursions, casino, retail, photography, and a myriad of other departments. Such a bonus to get to know Casey & Fernando…

Dinner with Casey & Fernando…

We arrived on Aril 26th for our next port Brest, France. Brest is a port city in Brittany, in northwestern France. It is divided by the Penfeld River. Brest has a rich maritime history and naval base. Located at the mouth of the Penfeld River, overlooking the harbor, is the National Navy Museum, housed in the medieval Château de Brest. Across the river stands Tour Tanguy, a medieval tower.

Brest France with the Penfield River/Harbor…

Our visit in Brest was mostly spent walking the city and taking in the historic sites that has made Brest a strategic location for many European conflicts. Brest suffered heavily from World War II bombing, so most of the historic centre had to be entirely rebuilt. Luckily rue de Saint-Malo was spared which we did walk down.

Departing Brest, our next port was April 28th in Rotterdam, Netherlands. For clarification we have discovered: Netherlands is the Country, Holland is the Region, and Rotterdam is the city…Rotterdam is an essential and fascinating city in the Netherlands. In the past, the Netherlands is very commonly called Holland. This name originated when the Dutch company, the VOC, was the largest trading company in the world.  We decided to do a walking tour in Rotterdam which proved to be very informative, with great stories and history. The tour allowed us to visit many of the most sought after tourist stops in the city…

Rotterdam’s City Hall is one of the few lucky survivors of the destruction that befell on the city during the Second World War.

Rotterdam’s famous and unique “Cube Houses”…

Santa Claus, popularly known as the Buttplug Gnome, is a 2001 statue by artist Paul McCarthy in the Eendrachtsplein square of Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Downtown Rotterdam…

When in the Netherlands why not be a little Dutch … (we are assuming a plenty of Heine’s were drank at “King’s Day”…)

Interesting point, the day we visited Rotterdam was the day after the “Kings Day” celebration. King’s Day is a holiday in The Netherlands on the 27th of April, marking King Willem-Alexander’s birthday. Celebrations start the night before as people deck themselves out in orange and hit the streets and canals. Even the royal family comes out to celebrate with Dutch citizens!

The Markthal

The Markthal is a sustainable combination of food, leisure, living, and parking, a building in which all functions are fully integrated to celebrate and enhance their synergetic possibilities. A secure, covered square is nestled beneath a large arch, conceived as an entirely new take on a typical market square and its surrounding buildings.

Erasmus of Rotterdam or Erasmus; 28 October c.1466 – 12 July 1536) was a Dutch Christian humanist, Catholic theologian, educationalist, satirist and philosopher. Through his vast number of translations, books, essays, prayers and letters, he is considered one of the most influential thinkers of the Northern Renaissance and one of the major figures of Dutch and Western culture.

After taking our city walking tour we decided to take the train to the the famous city of Delft. Delft is a popular tourist destination in the Netherlands, famous for its historical connections with the reigning House of Orange-Nassau, for its blue pottery, for being home to the painter Jan Vermeer, and for hosting Delft University of Technology (TU Delft).

Delft…

Found a Windmill House in Delft…

Our Final port for the 2 week cruise was in Belgium.  Our ship docked on Saturday April 29th in the port of Blankenberge, Belgium. This large port was in the midst of a major construction project that required buses to transport us outside the port as soon as we dis-embarked. Our plan for our day in Belgium was to then take a train to the famous city of Brugge, Belgium. Bruges, the capital of West Flanders in northwest Belgium, is distinguished by its canals, cobbled streets and medieval buildings. Its port, Zeebrugge, is an important center for fishing and European trade. In the city center’s Burg square, the 14th-century Stadhuis (City Hall) has an ornate carved ceiling. Nearby, Market square features a 13th-century belfry with a 47-bell carillon and 83m tower with panoramic views

Sisters channeling the famous buildings of Brugge…

The famous Market Square…

Using the trains in Belgium…

The Belfry of Bruges (Dutch: Belfort van Brugge) is a medieval bell tower in the centre of Bruges, Belgium.

The Provincial Palace is currently undergoing a thorough restoration and renovation, transforming it into a walk-in location for the West Flanders provincial government where everyone is welcome. The building will become an imposing and surprising gateway to all the wonderful things which West Flanders has to offer.

The Provincial Palace…

Bruges is known for its picturesque streets, stunning architecture, delicious food, and famous square/market. We had a terrific day visiting this historic city and the people-watching was also “first rate”… So much history here!

On Sunday April 30th our month at sea came to an end… So may bucket list items were checked off during the last month. We had actually visited 10 different countries. We had expereinced 9 different time changes. We had sailed from the Pacific to the Atlantic Oceans. We had sailed end to end thru the engineering marvel of the Panama Canal. We had met many new friends and also reconnected with some special family members. We also had probably eaten way more than we should have on those cruise ships accompanied by a few beverages… We had completed our first back to back cruise experience,  and our first Transatlantic/Re-positioning Cruise.

Our cruise finished with the Port of Southampton, England. You would think we would be ready for a break from travel after a month at sea?… No we actually were just getting started…we landed and immediately started on the next phase of this 2023 Revolutionary Journey…

Next up the – UK, Wales, & Scotland….

As the sun sets on the Atlantic we venture into the UK, Wales, and Scotland…