Going through the Strait of Gibraltar

 After leaving Lisboa, Portugal the Queen Mary 2 headed out  on its way to the Strait of Gibraltar!  The next morning as we entered the elevator on our way for our walk, Captain Aseem Hashmi was also in the lift (as it's known on the Queen Mary 2 and by our British friends).  I asked him if he was going up or down and he reminded me he never says "going down!"  Captain Hashmi is so funny and so quick with his quips. 

After our walk we had lunch in Britannia and went topside as we sailed through the Strait of Gibraltar!

The Strait of Gibraltar is one of the busiest shipping lanes on the planet.  From the Atlantic Ocean to the Mediterranean Sea we traveled through this narrow strait. It separates Europe from Africa.  At its narrowest point it is only 8 miles between  Point Marrique, Spain and Point Cires in Morroco.

The territorial waters of Morocco, Spain and the British overseas territory of Gibraltar are in our view!  The Mediterranean was sparkling with the sun shining on us as we made our transit.

The Rock of Gibraltar is exciting to see.  We both giggled and said, is this for real?  We had never dreamed of traveling through this area and we are so thankful!  Seeing the world on the Queen Mary 2 was not wasted on us!

The Rock of Gibraltar is 1,398 feet high and made of limestone.  Much of the top is protected by a nature reserve.  Over 300 Barbary Macques (Rock Apes) make their home here.   Also Barbary Partridges and many other birds and flora that are unique to the area can be found here.

I'm always on the lookout for lighthouses and it was quite easy to spot the Europa Point Lighthouse at the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula.  It is also known as the Trinity Lighthouse at Europa Point.  The lighthouse was inaugurated in 1841 during the reign of Queen Victoria.  It is operated by Trinity House, the authority of lighthouses in England, Wales, the Channel Islands, and Gibraltar.

The Rock of Gibraltar is inhabited by 32,688 people who live at its base.  Most of them are Gibraltarians that are the ethnic group native to Gibraltar.  The British Royal Navy maintains a presence here.  

Transiting the Strait of Gibraltar was thrilling for us as we traveled further into the Mediterranean Sea.  Thank you for sharing the joy we felt on this very special day as we continue our World Voyage!

 

Lisbon, Portugal

After leaving Southampton, England and then two days at sea, the Queen Mary 2 approached the port of Lisbon.  We have never been to Portugal so we were eagerly awaiting the time we would spend here!  If you are reading about our trip you know we are continuing our World Voyage.  I'll be posting about each port and I do hope you will join us on this amazing journey as I recall our time spent traveling to places we have only read about.

Lisbon is the capital of Portugal.  It is the second oldest capital city in Europe with Athens being the oldest.  The port of Lisbon is very busy because of its location between Europe, Africa, and the Atlantic.

When the ship cleared customs, we boarded our tour bus to start our adventure called "Leisurely Lisbon."  We had a very informative tour guide that guided us through her beautiful city.

Right away our guide wanted us to know that Lisbon is Lisboa to her in Portuguese and wanted us to know it as well.  So from now on I'll refer to Lisbon as Lisboa!  

The first area of Lisboa we visited was Belem (Bethlehem).  This is the port from which Portuguese explorer Vasco da Gama left as he journeyed around the Cape of Good Hope and then on to India finding a sea route east.  The beautiful Jeronimos Monastery was our first stop. 

Jeronimos Monastery was built in the 1500s.  The monastery was built with funds from profits of the tax of the yearly Portuguese India Armadas.  Da Gama's remains were moved into a tomb in the nave of the church in 1880.

We walked through a lovely park across from the monastery.

The Monument of Discoveries is a tribute to those that left the Tagus River on their way to India and the Orient trying to establish trade routes.  The overhead lines support the extensive tram system that runs through Lisboa.

As we continued with our tour our guide pointed out the lovely square.

People were beginning to gather at the tables to have a noon meal.  The charm of European squares lives on in Lisboa.  The  mosaic patterned tile walkways are everywhere we look.

Our guide mentioned to us that the tiles are the pride of the artisans and the locals of Lisboa.  She reminded us not to walk here in heels though!  I had on my walking shoes and I rarely wear heels.  

This Monument to the Restorers memorializes the victory of the Portuguese Restoration War from 1640-1668.  This resulted in the end of the rule of the House of the Habsburg and the rise of the House of Braganza.

Walking with our guide through the quaint streets of Lisboa we stopped to enjoy a favorite drink of the area, Cherry Brandy.

I must admit that my sweetheart enjoyed this liqueur more than I did.  It's made with the Ginjinha cherry (Ginja) and is a sour cherry and not a sweet one.

After boarding the bus again we took a little ride to Almada, Portugal.  This is a very lovely place that overlooks the Tagus River and is connected to Lisboa by the 25 de Abril Bridge.  The 25th of April was the day the Carnation Revolution overthrew the Salazar regime in 1974.  It is also known as the Tagus River Bridge.

On this foggy afternoon we were still able to take in the sights that surrounded us. Christ the King statue looks over this imposing view of Lisboa.

The Sanctuary of Christ the King was begun in 1949 and completed in 1959. It was patterned after the Christ the Redeemer statue in Rio de Janiero, Brazil.

This is our photo taken when we were there in 2020. Though Christ the King statue is similar to Christ the Redeemer there are differences as one can imagine.  You can also see we had a much prettier day in Rio than in Lisboa.

This imposing statue was built in gratitude to God with funds raised by the women of the area because their sons were spared during World War II.  Portugal was a neutral country and did not participate in the war.

I found photographing this statue very difficult, but so meaningful.  

The grounds of the Sanctuary of Christ the King is really in the clouds as you can see with the bridge in the background of Grayden.

As we boarded the bus again for our ride over the bridge we saw Queen Mary 2 waiting for us in the distance.

Viewing Igreja de Sao Vicente de Fora Monastery as we boarded the ship left us with a beautiful sight.

This lovely tour of Lisboa made us so happy to visit such an interesting place!  

I'll leave you with this tiled heart of Lisboa.  We will always remember the beauty we experienced.  Thank you for sharing our joy as we remember our World Voyage.

 

 

Bergen, Norway

                                           
                                            Edvard Grieg Music, Morning


We're headed back to our last stop on our Norwegian adventure, Bergen, Norway!

The Bergen Tourism Board recommends "Preferably you should come to Bergen by sea.  It's the approach which shows the city the best."  We are in luck as most of you know we are sailing along the Norwegian fjords on the Queen Victoria.  If you have missed my last few posts about this adventure I hope you will scroll back and catch up with us! 

Bergen is the gateway to the fjord coastline of Western Norway.  Formerly it served as the capital.  The city boasts a population of 238,000.  So we are not here alone. 

As the ship sailed gently into the Hjeltfjord we began our transit of 30 miles.  The early morning sun shining on the mountains and clouds give a distinct beauty to our surroundings.

The various shades of green in the valley with the waterfalls rushing down are simply breathtaking. 

As we approach the entrance to Bergen, the Queen Victoria passes under the Askoy Bridge with a minimum clearance of 18 feet over the funnel of the ship!  It can be unnerving watching, but exciting as well.  Faith in your Captain and those you trust with your safety must be applied. 

As the ship docked in Bergen the colorful homes along the hillside came into view.  The cleanliness of this area is noteworthy as all the places in Norway were!  Typically a port can be less than clean in my opinion.

Grayden and I decided to take a self guided walking tour around Bergen.  I hope you will come along with us on our adventure in this unique city by the fjord. 

The Trikken is the tram system of Norway.  Sadly this system closed in Bergen. 

Bergen is a lovely town to walk about on this lovely morning.  The flowers and the trees are so healthy and lush.

Bergen is a center of culture in Scandinavia.  Edvard Grieg, the world famous composer, was born here.  Bergen has a concert hall and art galleries, museums and one of Norway's best universities.

Henrik Ibsen was a Norwegian playwright and director known for being the "father of realism."

The famous violinist Ole Bull was born in Bergen as well. 

Do watch your step as we walk along the cobblestone streets.  The city has a modern feel, but old European as well. 

The Sailor's Monument depicts the seafaring history of all the men and women that work the seas all the way back to the Vikings to the present era.

On our walking tour we are headed to the Funicular.  If you've never been on one it takes you to the top of the mountain in a cable car.  The ones we have traveled in the past were much smaller than the one here in Bergen.  Watch your step as we board and enjoy the view.

The funicular railway runs every 30 minutes from the lower station of the Floibanen on Ovregate.  We board the train for our 8 minute ride to the top of Mount Floyen.

The Funicular tracks provide an ingenious way to climb! 
As we rise to the top of the mountain we are treated with glorious views over Bergen and into the fjord. 

You can also see how large this city is.  Here at the top of the mountain there are shops and restaurants.

After taking the funicular back down the mountain we made our way quayside (Bryggen).  As you can see it's a popular place to shop and visit.

These tall and narrow warehouses are reminiscent of medieval times.  There are lovely shops with a variety of gifts to tempt everyone.  I had to buy gifts for our family here. 

Unfortunately in 1702 a great fire destroyed most of Bergen, but it has been restored.  Bryggen is on the UNESCO's World Heritage List as one of the world's most important monuments to culture and history of medieval Europe. 

An enormous Fish Market (Fisketorget) is located at the head of the bay of Vaagen.  This very large market, not only sells fish, but flowers, and fruits and vegetables.  Also many handcrafted items were available at this market. 

It's time for us to make our way back to the ship.  Along our path back we pass many lovely spots.

I read where free concerts are given here during the summers.  Such a pretty bandstand.

We walk past the Kode 1 Museum building for fine craft and design.

The city is full of lovely cauldrons filled to the brim with flowers. 

Walking back rather briskly we get drenched by a rainstorm.  We had on our raincoats so we were fine.  Getting back on board the ship the sun starts to shine. 

As the ship dropped its lines and headed out to the North Sea we decided to walk the Promenade and enjoy the most beautiful rainbow!

It was a beautiful ending to a magical visit to the Kingdom of Norway!  Thank you for coming along with us.  I'll be posting some photos of our trip back to Southampton and then our journey home on the Queen Mary 2 .