Now docked in Alicante. Virginia didn't feel well enough to do the excursion we had booked so I set off alone in search of supplies. My setting off coincided with a crew safety drill taking place - I had to dodge a simulated accident and 4 crew members encumbered by breathing apparatus and gas cylinders on their backs. Caught the shuttle bus and walked towards the city centre, happily catching sight of a Pharmacia and a Super Mercado. I tried the Pharmacia, asking for Beechams Powders - the assistant proffered me something which I accepted, just hoping it proves acceptable. I got a large bottle of water at the supermarket and a bag of nibbles. Walked back to the ship to find Virginia had been denied a good winning chance at the quiz this morning thanks to a shortage of other contenders. Ah well. Had some more specialist tea, Japanese this time, and I got stuck in "Anna's Quest". We ate in the View before seeing the theatre company at it again in a circus themed show. The songs weren't so circus associated but the company sang and danced lustily. Virginia decided to sit downstairs and we offended some people by sitting in what they thought was their seats! Had liqueurs to make the staff going round offering drinks feel wanted.

Rain was stabbing the puddles on the quayside at La Coruna (I know it better as Corunna) when we looked out of our cabin window this morning. After breakfast we dressed ready for dampness but the sun came out to help us take holiday snaps as we strolled around a little of the city. We only needed our cruise cards to get off and on the ship. They were taking our temperatures while we were in Spanish waters, sometimes the head sometimes the hands. When we go for breakfast or lunch they ask us what our cabin number is. A complicated algorithm is then run to work out what table number we're sitting at. They may be ensuring gluttons don't have two breakfasts. Or trying to reduce the mixing of people on board? We admired a childrens' roundabout close to the marina with plenty of small yachts, and also a more modern statue of the Madonna and Child wreathed by fountains. We walked close to an old fort before weaving our way back through narrow alley ways. This way included a city square with a crowd before what might have been a municipal building. A police van drove up by the side and there was a blaring of horns. Notorious prisoner brought for trial? Back on board I tried walking round the promenade deck as I aim to each day, partly as exercise partly as quiet time. When we're docked sections are always closed, perhaps to wash the deck down, perhaps for painting up the rails and posts, and perhaps for bunkering whatever that is. Must look that up. (I did and it's supplying of fuel to the ship). This was a dressing up day (normally port days are not but La Coruna was a last minute cruise change as a day in Funchal got cancelled due to no room at the inn sorry port). A black and white evening though I wear the same suit for all formal nights and just vary the tie I have on. Cruises are about the only time I dress up. A special card and a free glass of champagne greeted us on table 360 when we joined our 4 fellow diners, including two Germans which was welcome. One of the Germans should have had my card - on each card was a different quotation and mine had a quote by the German authoress Cornelia Funke "The sea always filled her with longing, though for what she was never sure." I prefer other writers of fantasy, like Garth Nix and Brandon Sanderson and Tim Powers who I read this cruise. I did inflict my only German joke on the table: 'Mein hund hat keine nase, Wie riech, Furchterlich'. We skipped tea and coffee after the meal but needn't have rushed to the theatre for the show, there was plenty of room. The theatre is one place you have to keep your mask on, and also no food and drink (so no stewards going round offering refreshments at the moment). The entertainments manager introduced the captain who then introduced his leading officers. The captain said I think we had 1300 odd passengers on board, the ship in normal times has 2092 on board. This was the first performance by the theatre company, but they had rehearsed well and threw themselves into the singing and dancing with energy.

We did the Gaudi tour in Barcelona and it was by far the most enjoyable port visit. Barcelona is a well-laid out cultural city, the city blocks are called 'apples' and have octagon-like shapes which our guide praised. The tour started by the guide showing some Gaudi architected buildings in the main area, like castles out of fairyland magically transplanted into the staid repetitiveness of conventional modernity. The guide stressed how organic Gaudi's work was, and how he avoided repetition. We walked a fair bit - at one point amused by a crocodile of small children apparently roped together. We then went to the Park Güell, intended as a rich man's garden city but now publically owned as it was too far out in the 1900s to be successful. A cross between a film set and a theme park - artificial grottoes, tree-like pillars, witches's houses, salamander water system. A lot of tourists there, and a lot of dubious tack being sold too. As wonderful as that was the highlight was the beautiful unfinished Sagrada Família cathedral. There were crowds outside gaping at and shooting it. But inside it was transcendent, the light coming in through stained glass, trees of stone supporting the roof, the past and the future merging.

Our first port and first excursion! Cadiz (which the locals say more like "Kar-dith", "Kay-diss" is the French way) has beautiful wide long beaches, one originally for women only (called beach of the women) then Victory beach which has cafes sited on the sand. We drove in the persisting fog through Holmesian marshes to Vejer which is a white-walled town originally Moorish on top of a hill. Narrow twisty streets (for coolness), patios in the houses with plants trapped in them, cars driving around the 'streets'. We were walked around, then given time for a drink and comfort break before Roberto led us back to the coach and a trip to the historic Cape Trafalgar (sandy dunes, lighthouse which Germans have converted into a B&B, but no mention of the historic naval engagement). Very dry here but they have plenty of water thanks to rain which falls on nearby mountains.

We used footpower to see Cadiz rather than go on an excursion. To my surprise Cadiz was pretty and mostly clean - though I involuntarily sidestepped into something undesirable and had to use a municipal fountain to clean a sandal. My meagre knowledge of the romance languages was enough to guess when we bought some biscuits to take back that the shop assistant wanted forty odd euros. It's a work tradition to return from a break with something edible and ethnic. Reportedly some of our ship got pickpocketed in Cadiz - I have no reason to think Cadiz any worse than London or even Cambridge (tourists are regarded as legitimate prey by some locals there).

Our final stops were Lisbon then Vigo on the following day. From a foggy boat trip we did at least see some monuments and edifices, then had a coach trip to admire how Lisbon was improved after a disastrous fire. Perhaps cities need disasters now and then as part of their life cycle, to avoid being ossified? Like nations benefit from being defeated every now and then to get rid of deadwood? We walked into Vigo but didn't understand what they were demonstrating about as we don't speak Spanish. Almost came a cropper as I slipped over at one point in the rain. We got some biscuits for gifts at one shop which seemed to be a combination butchers / wine shop / grocers / sweet shop. Only to find the prices on the boat of souvenir biscuits had been cut in half! Vigo does have some neat statues which I should have taken pictures of.