BILBAO, SPAIN--DAY 2

Tuesday, May 28th
     We are not leaving the ship today so having a "sea day" sitting here in the port.  The huge Crown Princess pulled in next to us this morning so it is completely blocking the nice view we enjoyed yesterday.  It is 4 or 5 times larger than our Voyager.  After our room service breakfast and some time on the internet, we went to gym for our workout.  It was a dreary, rainy morning but the sun started peeking through the clouds at noon. It's still chilly outside.
     The ship will sail for Bordeaux, France, at 6pm and we are scheduled to arrive there at 11am tomorrow. I just looked at the weather forecast for the two days we will be there and it is not good.  Rain and mid 50's temperature wise for both days.  We are suppose to take a 5 hour tour to the village of St Emilion to see the village and vineyards.  Will be a game time decision if we go or not.  The Voyager will be docked right down town in Bordeaux so may just do our own exploring of the city.  On the second day in Bordeaux, Rebecca's college room mate who now lives in France and her husband, will be coming on board for lunch and to tour our ship.  They have not seen each other in 45 years so should be a nice reunion.
     This evening the ship is having a "Grand Voyage Finale Cocktail Party" for the 80 of us who have done the 78 days from Beijing to Southampton.  Should be fun but kind of sad as will be leaving our new and old friends in a few days.  We have 7pm dinner reservations in Prime 7 Steakhouse also.  Tonight's show features Ray Solaire, our cruise director, with his puppets and singing.  He is an amazing man and has been working on cruise ships for 45 years.
     I took some photos during last night's "Cirque Voyager" Jean Ann Ryan production show.  I will put a few of them on this post the old way.

                                     Cast of show with John and Bobbie, our friends, in center.

                                            Alex does a lot of toe dancing during his show.

                      Cindy & Stsiapan are the specialty dance couple.  They are truly amazing.

                                                 Julia and Ron are both fantastic singers.

Ron is taking a bow but put this on to show John & Bobbie (in regular clothes).  During White Elephant sale they bought deal to be part of the cast during this show.

BILBAO, SPAIN

Monday, May 26th--MEMORIAL DAY

 We are in Bilbao today and was to move over to Saint Jean de Luz tomorrow but Captain has cancelled that port.  It is a tender port (no dock) and weather forecast for there is not good.

     Today Rebecca and I are remembering all the men and women who made the ultimate sacrifice for our country--they gave their lives.  God bless them all.
     Last night was a much smoother ride as we cruised off north coast of Spain.  Today will be a chilly one with high forecast to barely reach 60F and some rain showers also.  We are to arrive in the port of Bilbao around 10am.  Our 4 hour city tour will begin at 10:50.  We will be in this port until midnight.  Tonight's production show will be last one of the Jean Ann Ryan cast.  Their shows have been the highlight of this cruise.  Thanks to our friends from Houston, Linda & Bryan, I have a could photos of the entire cast.  At the "white elephant sale" they bought back stage tour with the cast.  I came in the showroom early to get good seat for the show that night and they were having their picture taken with the cast.  Keeva, one of the dancers, brought me on stage for a photo with her.

                                                           The very sexy Keeva and me

                                                        Linda and Bryan in middle
     Our Captain just announced that due to weather (high winds) in our port for tomorrow (Jean de Luz, France) we will remain here in Bilbao for another day.  There is not a dock in Jean de Luz so would have had to use tenders to go ashore.  High winds would make that unsafe so here we will stay.  That's just fine with us.
     We had a very nice tour today.  I must say I was surprised at how much I liked the cities of Getxo and Bilbao.  Getxo is at the mouth of where the Nervion River meets the Atlantic Ocean.  The port has been relocated here instead of up river a few miles to Bilbao.  Along the shore we saw some very beautiful, large homes.  We can see them from our balcony now.  Back in early 1900's iron ore was mined in north Spain and refined in factories along the river right in downtown Bilbao.  The river was lined with factories and as a result the river was dirty and air pollution was terrible.  Our guide described it as a "dirty" city.  Then in 70's and 80's the economy crashed and Bilbao was in trouble.  They decided to make-over the city and clean it up.  Their economy had been based on industry and nothing else so they tore the factories down and diversified their economy.  They tore down the factories along the river and moved the port out to the mouth of the river at Getxo.  Now along the river are beautiful parks, boulevards, and green belts for the people to enjoy on both sides of the river.  Parks replaced the factories.  There is no air pollution now.  All the condos & apartments look very new and are beautiful.  The city is very clean and the people were very nice.  Not much graffiti as in the other Spanish cities we have visited.  Bilbao should be very proud of what they have done to pull off such an incredible transformation.  We loved it!  I hope it is not raining here tomorrow as I would like to take the shuttle bus back downtown to do more exploring and maybe lunch.
     Just about ready to head down for happy hour then dinner.  Want to go to the last production show at 9:30.

           Our 4 hour tour for today.  Getxo is the port city and Bilbao is just few miles away

               Overcast and ugly looking start to the day but we had sun in the afternoon.

                                Some VERY nice homes along the bay in Getxo near our ship

                 Small garden by bridge.  There are parks and gardens all over the "new" Bilbao

 Cars and people are transported across the river on platform.  We crossed on it in the white sides that is for people

                             Nice pastel colors of the buildings so far in Spain and Portugal.

                                                       Unique homes along the river

                  Our ship in the "new" port at mouth of river going into Atlantic Ocean.

 There was an elevator to top of the bridge you just saw with a walkway.  We went up and walked back across the bridge.

                                                                   Great views

           Back in the bus and heading to downtown Bilbao for a walking tour of "old Bilbao".

                                     New soccer stadium under construction along the river.

                                            Tall building is owned by electric company.

                                                 Old draw bridge near downtown

                                              Across river is Guggenheim Museum

 This is actually the back side of the Guggenheim Museum but guide said it was the most interesting one.

                                                                      New bridge

 In early 1900's the opposite side of the river was lined with factories.  Now they have been torn down and nice green belt and boulevard.  Very nice!!

                                                        Pedestrian  Bridge

                                                                St Nicholis Cathedral

                                      We are now walking into the "Old Quarter" of Bilbao

                                                                   Plaza Nueva

                                                    Narrow streets for pedestrians only

                                                                     Very colorful

                                            Center of old quarter as 5 streets meet here

                                                              St James Cathedral

                                                beautiful organ at back of the cathedral

                                                          How about these shoes??

                                        Kind of a band shell in park with river just behind

                              Shopping stands along river.  They were setting up for a fair.

                                                    Really nice now along the river

                                                                         City Hall

 Funicular that goes from top of mountain to center of city below.  We drove up here in bus for fantastic views of the city

 Right in center of this photo to left of river is old quarter where we did out walking tour.

                                                          The newer part of Bilbao

                                                Guggenheim Museum in lower left

                            Heading back to the ship and passing by very nice homes again.

                                                 Vijay and Sheldon, two bar waiters.

                                                             Photo from ship

                                                   Lighthouse at entrance to harbor.

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