Day 22 at sea, trip to the Canary Islands, 3nd February 2026

Who days Michael does not use the internet while on a cruise,  pictorial evidence of that fact! 

We have both finished packing, suitcase seems to have shrunk. We went to gym, then breakfast and then I packed, takes me forever 🙃 anyway cruise questionnaires completed and we are done.

In retrospect, it was a great cruise with many new and interesting ports resulting in some adventures. We never went on any ship excursions but the facilities in the ship are excellent.

We will do our last gym workout then go for tea and have dinner at the Burroughs Market which is the buffet. Means I can stay in my shorts and t-shirt, no need to dress up. Last we dressed up purple long dress for me  and black shirt and pants and grey tie for Michael. We had to change before the show.

Day 21 at sea, trip to the Canary Islands, 2nd February 2026

The flaming Baked Alaska, a dramatic, flaming finale served during our last gala dinner. Waiters parade this dish—a combination of ice cream, cake, and meringue—through the dining room, accompanied by waving napkins and music.

Saying thank you and goodbye to the crew of the Ambition after a brilliant show of the Lion King and Les Miserable among other performances.

Day 20 Vigo, Spain, Pulpo and finding a barber, trip to the Canary Islands, 1st February 2026

We went looking for a barber, 5km later we found the only open barber in Vigo old town as well as the suburb that is built on the  octopus fishing industry of the area. Euro 15 for a small plate of boiled octopus. I did not try it.

A church in found while waiting for Michael to get his hair cut.

Many signs showing St James Way.

We tge cottage tuned to see the Jules Verne staue. He wrote his book in Vigo, 80 leagues under the sea. 

We had good coffee and made our way back to the ship.

Weird statue.

Great day!!

Day 20 Vigo, Spain, Catedral de Vigo, trip to the Canary Islands, 1st February 2026

Raining again as we got off the ship to visit the Catedral of Vigo.

The Concatedral - Basílica de Santa María de Vigo, popularly known as La Colegiata, is the most important religious building in Vigo. Located in the heart of the Casco Vello (Old Town), it serves as a co-cathedral alongside Tui Cathedral for the Diocese of Tui-Vigo. This Neoclassical masterpiece was designated a minor basilica by the Vatican in 2020.

We lit 2 candles for those that have passed and having admired the inside of the small but beautiful Catedral we continued to find the Castle.

Day 20 Vigo, Spain, Fortress & Castello, trip to the Canary Islands, 1st February 2026

We walked up the hill to the Castello de San Sebastián only to find red tape across most entrances. This tape had been taken down by locals and seems to refer to adverse weather phenomena.

Weirdly it seems to be in many of the parks and locations we wanted to visit.

The Castelo de San Sebastián is a 17th-century fortress in Vigo that stands as a testament to the city's strategic military past. Built during a period of intense conflict, it was designed to protect the coastline from maritime threats.

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​The fortress was commissioned in 1656 during the reign of Philip IV, primarily to defend Vigo against potential attacks by English pirates and Portuguese forces during the Portuguese Restoration. 

It was designed by military engineer Juan Villarroel y Prado alongside the brothers Carlos and Fernando de Grunemberg.

The castle was part of a larger defensive system that included the city walls and the higher Castro Fortress. It was originally connected to the Castro Fortress by a long defensive wall, creating a fortified corridor to safeguard the city.

​Before the fort, the hill was home to a medieval castle and a chapel dedicated to Saint Sebastian, who was traditionally invoked for protection against the plague.

A "castreño" or hillfort settlement that dates back to the 3rd century BC. This site is considered the birthplace of what is now the largest city in Galicia.

Walking back down to the city streets to find good coffee, we see many peonie trees of different colour's, reds, pinks, whites and yellows.

We met a lady that was there with her 17 year old daughter for the young EU representatives conference. Young people trying to make a difference. She told us about Cafe Martinez, open since 1911 is an institution. 

Walking there, we met the Sireno (Merman), an iconic sculpture located in the city's central hub, Porta do Sol. 

Created by Galician sculptor Francisco Leiro in 1991, the statue represents a hybrid "man-fish" or merman (often translated as "Sireno" in Spanish).

Significance: It is one of the most representative symbols of modern Vigo, designed to reflect the city’s deep and enduring relationship with the sea

We found the cafe and they have lovely cakes and we had breakfast  of croissants with ham and cheese and a cake, coffee and juice. Awesome!

We then went for a further walk to find Santiago de Compostela Square that supposedly had a street with ladies chucking oysters but being Sunday all was closed.

Day 19 Sea day, trip to the Canary Islands, 31st January 2026

Mom's birthday which we are missing on this sea days, while mom and Carlos have breakfast at Bruce's with Jacqueline and Adriaan in celebration of her birthday.

Phoned mom to wish her and carried on to breakfast, yoga and a HIIT session. Now completing the blog and relaxing.

Day 18 Gibraltar, The rock of Gibraltar, trip to the Canary Islands, 30th January 2026

We walked all the way to see the rock of Gibraltar which took us to the opposite side of the island.

The harbour.

The rock.

The skull pub

We walked back through the only way into the old town.

We have breakfast at the Lord Nelson.

Have to say it was an awesome breakfast. Seven different things. Bacon, sausage, beans, black pudding, egg, potatoes, toast.

Many steps in the island which we take to try to go to the nature reserve. We get there and its 22 pound each and five hours walk sooo since the captain has to get out of port by 15:00, we don't have enough time. Instead we walked to the lighthouse at the point of the island where we can see Spain and the other side Morocco.

A aircraft crash that took place in the second world war.

I think its an airport at the top of the rock. 

Moorish fortress 

Lots of passages made up of steps.

Mosque

Huge gun

Carlos store

The old town.

Gibraltar’s history spans over 2,900 years, evolving from a mythical place of worship into one of the world's most strategic military fortresses. 

Gibraltar was one of the last known habitats for Neanderthals, with remains in Gorham's Cave dating back 24,000–28,000 years.

Known as Mons Calpe, the Rock was considered by the Greeks and Romans as one of the two Pillars of Hercules marking the edge of the known world.

Phoenicians, Carthaginians, and Romans used the Rock as a navigational landmark and religious shrine, though they did not establish permanent settlements. 

The Islamic Berber commander Tariq ibn Ziyad landed here in 711 AD, initiating the Muslim conquest of Iberia. The name "Gibraltar" is derived from Jebel Tariq ("Mount of Tariq").

Control shifted between the Moors and the Kingdom of Castile throughout the Middle Ages. Spain permanently reclaimed the Rock in 1462 during the Reconquista when Queen Isabella I annexed it to the Spanish Crown in 1501, emphasizing its role as the "key" to the Mediterranean. 

During the War of the Spanish Succession, an Anglo-Dutch fleet under Admiral Sir George Rooke captured the Rock.

Spain formally ceded Gibraltar to Great Britain "for ever" to end the war.

The Great Siege (1779–1783): The longest siege in British military history, where British forces repelled a four-year Spanish and French attempt to retake the territory.

World Wars: Gibraltar was a critical naval base for the Royal Navy in both World Wars. During WWII, the civilian population was evacuated to turn the Rock into an impregnable fortress.

 

Spanish dictator Francisco Franco closed the land border for 13 years after Gibraltarians voted overwhelmingly to remain British in a 1967 referendum.

Residents again rejected shared sovereignty with Spain in a 2002 referendum by 99%.

Post-Brexit Status: While the UK left the EU, a 2025 preliminary agreement aims to include Gibraltar in the Schengen Area to maintain an open border with Spain while preserving British sovereignty.