72.- APRIL 25, FIELD OF DREAMS

2.00 p.m. MONDAY APRIL 23, 2007 on board the REGENT SEVEN SEAS VOYAGER.

"FIELD OF DREAMS"
I am seating in my balcony, on deck nine, watching the sea,
a calm, clear blue, cobalt ocean, extending all the way to the horizon.
Like a spyglass

The quietness and silence interrupted only by the advancing of the ship,
producing a small wake, like a light, white foam.
Smoking a Partagas, courtesy of Patrick, I relish the moment,
wishing I could encapsul it in my memory to be kept forever.

I feel my own oneness with the sky and the ocean lulling me into an sporadic state.

Is it a dream? Is it reality?

I can’t concentrate on my reading of today’s newspaper....
The rhythmic sound of the ship breaking through the waters, brings memories.
Memories that start flowing, like in a dream!
Scenes start to appear, from the first day, full of anticipation in our first world cruise
that has exceeded all of our expectations.

RIO with it’s majestic beauty and the Sugar Loaf.
NAMIBIA, Coming to Africa and its beautiful desert dunes.
CAPETOWN, Sheltered by Table Mountain and the beautiful vistas and beaches.
KENYA, "Hakuna Matata", with the safari and diversity of animals.
THE MALDIVES, with thousand tiny islands surrounded by the bluest of waters.
SRI LANKA, with the fascinating VICEROY SPECIAL trip to KANDY.
SINGAPORE, So clean, role model to its neighbors trying to imitate it.
Trishaws, Modern Metro and old famous Raffles hotel.
BRUNEI, with the ROYAL REGALIA BUILDING.
SHANGHAI, Traffic in the HUANGPU river welcoming to a city growing in front of our eyes.
HONG KONG, Hustle and bustle all over, to Victoria Peak.
VIETNAM, with it’s IMPERIAL CITY, historical sites and green rice paddies.
BANGKOK, with its CHAO PRAYA river and Temples with unique architecture.
AGRA, with it’s dreamy TAJ MAHAL, enduring monument to love.
MUSCAT, Typical " DHOW" boats with its magnificent SULTAN QUABOOS GRAND MOSQUE
EGYPT’s pyramids, revealing their glorious past and our Suez tenders experience.
Alexandria’s. New library, impressive modern edifice
SORRENTO and it unique Amalfi drive
CAPRI, As never seen before, from our deck # 12
MONACO, everything looking perfect, like in a Hollywood set.
VALENCIA with its charming old city and making a statement of coming into the 21th century with their fascinating "CITY OF THE ARTS AND SCIENCES"
MALAGA, with its intricate streets filled with gypsy feelings.
GIBRALTAR, What can surpass the experience of the concert in St. Michael’s caves?
And, their acoustic?
CANARY ISLANDS, with their majestic volcanos and lava scenes left behind.

I slowly open my eyes, the ocean looking now like a big blue jello and I ask myself,

Is it a dream? Is it reality?

72.- APRIL 25, VARIOUS PICTURES

BREAKFAST ROOM SERVICE

ICE CREAM TIME FOR RYAN AN OTHER BUTLERS
PLAYING MAH JONG

HEAD CHEF TOBIAS SCHREIBER
COCKTAILS IN OUR SUITE 919

FRANKIE HOLIDAY ‘S GUITAR IN THE OBSERVATION LOUNGE
CRAZY KITCHEN CABARET

KATAKALON. A Greek island

71.- APRIL 22, CANARY ISLANDS, TENERIFE

TENERIFE, is the largest of seven islands which make up the Canarian Archipelago. It’s called the green island and has a lush vegetation and extensive fields of bananas and vineyards.

Welcome at the port by a group of local dancers.

Opera house
On the road from Tenerife to Puerto de la Cruz.

Puerto de la Cruz, beautiful bay with black beaches

Pedestrian walk

Portuguese balconies in Old town

70.- APRIL 21, CANARY ISLANDS, LANZAROTE

LANZAROTE, is one of the CANARY ISLANDS in the Atlantic Ocean. Very dry and hardly
any rain year around. 120,000 habitants, living mostly from tourism. Lancelotto, a Genovese navigator arrived to the island in 1312.
All the houses are painted in white, offering a great contrast against the black remains of lava.












Scientists estimate that human beings first walked on the Canary Islands some 4,000 years ago, after migrating from Europe
From 1730 to 1736, the south of the island, was struck by one of the most important eruptions in the history of Vulcanology. The cultivated fields were transformed into one of the most extensive lava fields; more than twenty villages and hamlets were buried by the rage of the craters.
In the year 1824, the last volcanic eruption of these characteristics took place in LANZAROTE. Reaching the sea.
BUS TOUR: Montanas de Fuego at TIMANFAYA National Park
Caravan of camel riders going around the crater of the volcano.











The scenery is breathtaking and unrepeatable.












Spawned by extreme volcanic activity sone 20 million years ago, the rugged LANZAROTE landscape offers some of the world’s most dramatic scenery.









The scenery has not changed much since the eruptions.











Lanzarote in known as the mythic island because the volcanic relief has sculpted breathtaking landscape of almost lunar beauty.










A few green plants, remainder of this natural geological calamity

69.- APRIL 19, UNITED KINGDOM GIBRALTAR, ST. MICHAEL CAVES

This morning we were invited to a special event: A private "Concert in the Caves" for the "World cruise guests".

















The St. Michael caves are a dramatic natural grotto. During the second world war, were used as an hospital

The European Sinfonietta (29 musicians) played Mozart and Mendelssohn.

The acoustic of the cave was just incredible! We felt transported to the middle of the orchestra, listening to every little sound! Pure magic!!

A series of underground chambers filled with stalactites and stalagmites.

68.- APRIL 19, UNITED KINGDOM, GIBRALTAR

The tiny British colony of Gibraltar, nicknamed "The Rock", dominates the strait between Spain and Morocco and controls the passage of vessels coming and leaving the Mediterranean Sea.

The rock, was named in 711 A.D. , when it was captured by a Moorish chieftain, Tarik and became know as the rock of Tarik, or Gib el Tarik. Its name changed later on to Gibraltar.


Early arrival.
The rock is 200 MILLION YEARS OLD.
6 kilometers long and has 52 kilometers of built tunnels.








30,000 inhabitants.
Reclaimed land 17 years ago.










City walls built by the English in the 18th century











Airport’s runway





THE LINE; Dividing Spain and Gibraltar.

3,000 Jews live in Gibraltar
Remains of a Moorish Castle from the 11th century.











The famous Barbary apes are a breed of cinnamon color. Tailless monkeys native to Morocco’s Atlas mountains.
Legend holds that as long as the Apes remain in Gibraltar, the British will keep the Rock.
The Officer of the Apes, feeds them at 8 am and 4 p.m. daily.

67.- APRIL 18, SPAIN, MALAGA

MALAGA, Between the Sierra Nevada and the ocean.
50 years after the destruction of Troy, in 1184 B.C, the Phoenicians (originated in Tyre and Sidon) arrived in Spain and named the city on their language. MALAKA meaning QUEEN.


On a cold morning, we decided to take a tour of city onboard the double decker bus.












CATHEDRAL, built between 1528 and 1782












PASEO DEL PARQUE












The city center has plenty of shade trees, an elegant promenade and several historical buildings.

ALCAZABA, this fortress and palace from the 8th century has Moorish architecture, the same as the tiny streets in the old part of town

66.- APRIL 18, SPAIN, MALAGA MARKET

This morning, we went to the Malaga central market ("MERCADO DE ATARAZANAS")
with the Head Chef Tobias Schreiber.

Negotiating with taxi driver












Fresh dates












Huge strawberries "Double head"












Sardines and all kind of olives












Malaga’s signature dish: "Pork "adobado" and different types of chorizos











How many chorizos for tomorrow’s breakfast?












Cleaning octopus












Shrimp, live razor fish, etc.