Casablanca, Canary Islands, Dakar, Cabo Verde Islands
My best laid plans to post shorter blogs more often has yet again failed, my apologies. I hope you enjoy our recap of the last several ports. I’ve also added a link in the header of the website to our Current Location. This walks you through how to use Cruisemapper to see our current location. It’s super easy, if you’re interested just click the button on the top of the page. Enjoy!
Casablanca, Morocco
It was hot in Casablanca! After spending 4 months in the UK and Northern Ireland we are no longer accustomed to hot weather and 27 degrees was a little too toasty for my liking. We were docked in a very industrial area, and it was quite a hike to get out of the port area. In all fairness there was a shuttle out to the city center, but it wasn't clearly marked and we didn't want to end up on a random tour bus to who knows where. Besides we always prefer to walk when we can.
We wandered down the main road in the direction of the Hassan II Mosque that dominates the waterfront. It’s an incredible building and the architecture is beautiful. We did not buy tickets to enter the mosque, so we headed towards the Sacred Heart Cathedral and Arab League Park.
On the way back to the port we passed the United Nations Square and La Tour de l’Horloge. Traffic was horrendous and we were extremely careful crossing the roads even when there were cross walks. The rules of the road seemed to be that there were none and it reminded us of Albania. We avoided the medinas and headed back to the ship for lunch. It was a nice enough city, but it was just too hot out to spend more time wandering around. We wore our sandals thinking it would keep us from walking as far as we usually do, but all it did was give me blisters.
After lunch we went up to the pool deck for a bit to try and get rid of the sock tan lines on our ankles, but with the low UV and hot temps we just ended up melting. We have 2 sea days before our next ports in the Canary Islands, so we are settling into a slower pace for a few days. In the Canary Islands we will be on 3 different islands on 3 back-to-back days, so we’re going to rest up for that.
Canary Islands, Spain
Arrecife, Las Palmas
Lanzarote is one of the Canary Islands and we were docked in the port city of Arrecife. The island was created by volcanic eruptions in the 1730s and the landscape definitely reflects its origins. It has a desert landscape, and it’s dominated by lava. They’ve created several parks throughout the city using lava and cacti which were quite lovely. We saw the contemporary art museum that is housed in a fortified 18th century castle; although, it was closed when we walked by. Following the waterfront, we found the Castillo de San Gabriel which is another stone fortress dating back to the 16th century. There were several sculptures and benches along the water as well.
When we reached the far end of the beach we headed into town and ended up at the mall where we stocked up on some snacks. Then we headed to Lidl to stock up on beer and ice cream. There were several great tourist attractions on the Island, but we were only in port for the day, so we didn’t want to venture too far from the ship. We had also just come off of 2 back-to-back sea days and needed a good long walk, so we did our usual wandering. It would have been great to have a few extra days in port to see more of the island.
Las Palmas, Gran Canaria
Today was a really great day. Mike desperately wanted to hike one of the volcanoes on the island, but the ones closest to our port are in a military base. He found a post on the internet with direction to a hole in the fence, but I vetoed that. Instead, we hiked up to 2 viewpoints in town, the Mirador Altavista and the Mirador Paseo La Cornisa. Both spots offered great views of the city. The best part was that we were able to walk along the waterfront and then through several tiered gardens to reach the first viewpoint. It was a nice touch of nature and a lovely walk.
After the viewpoints we made our way to the other side of the island to the Las Arenas mall and the Auditorio Alfredo Kraus. The beach on the west side of the island is very popular with surfers and we enjoyed watching the waves.
We wandered back to the east side and the port but made sure to stop at the Castillo de la Luz even though it was closed. It is a restored fortification that houses a permanent collection of art by Martin Chirino. We put in 20 kilometers and my feet are killing me, but we really enjoyed our walk around Las Palmas.
Santa Cruz, Tenerife
The volcanic landscape held strong for our 3rd stop in the Canary Islands. On the island of Tenerife, the mountains come right out to the coast and the city winds up into the hills. Of course, that meant Mike found a lookout walking distance from town so as soon as we left the ship, we headed up to Montana de la Altura de Paso Alto. We got some great views of Santa Cruz and a peak at some of the houses way up in the hills.
When we came back down to town, we made our way to the Rbla. de Sta. Cruz which is a street that runs pretty much all the way across town. There is a very wide tree lined pedestrian strip down the middle of the street, and it was a beautiful walk. We followed this road all the way to Parque Garcia Sanabria which is a lovely park space that has been around since 1926. There were fountains, statues, pathways, and even a large working clock made of flowers.
We jumped back on the main road and followed it around to the Centro Commercial Meridiano mall where we picked up some rum and some ice cream. Our next stop was meant to be the Palmetum Botanical Garden which is home to hundreds of palm species, but we were getting tired, and we were too cheap to pay admission.
Along the shore we saw the Casa de la Polvora, the Castillo de San Jaun Bautista, and the Auditorio de Tenerife. We walked back through the Plaza de Espana and the shopping area surrounding it. With sore and tired feet, we made it back to the ship.
It’s been a whirlwind tour of the Canary Islands, and we can’t wait to come back and explore more of this stunning volcanic landscape. We are in for 3 sea days on our way to Dakar, Senegal, so we’ll be able to rest up again.
Sea Days
We were very fortunate to have extremely calm seas for our 3 days of passage and I made it through all 3 days without my Sea Bands and without having to take any antinausea drugs. I also finally got a few really good nights of sleep, so that was great. Mike got bored and was doing laps of the ship, but I got sucked into doing puzzles, so I was happy. We attended Port talks, wine tastings and watched a movie. We also had a great Halloween Party where Mike and I dressed up as each other. I have to say he pulled off my leggings really well.
Dakar, Senegal
It’s hot…really hot! Our first day in Dakar was a high of 32 degrees Celsius which felt like 37. We walked out of the port and hit up an ATM for local currency and headed for the ferry to Goree Island. Goree is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that served as the largest slave trading center on the African coast from the 15th to the 19th century.
Unfortunately, the bills from the bank were too large and they wouldn’t give us change. Also, at 11am the ferries were full until 1pm, so we opted to head to The Museum of Black Civilizations instead. The museum was fantastic, and they’ve been working to promote the contribution of Black Civilizations to the universal heritage of humanity. Most of the information was in French which is the official language of Senegal, so Google Translate came in handy.
The community was very helpful and quick to offer a ride or directions. They were very polite and personable; although, some of them were a little overeager. After the museum we headed back to the ship because it was simply too hot to be wandering around outside. We spent a quiet afternoon on the ship enjoying the air-conditioning.
We received mixed reviews from our fellow residents from their adventures on day one in Dakar, so we weren’t too sure how to spend our second day. Those that went to Goree Island said that it was well worth it for the historical significance; however, they felt pressured to buy local wares. The groups that went via a guided tour had a more positive experience, but we weren’t keen on the expense. There were several people who braved the local markets, and they said it was an experience for sure, but very crowded and over eager shop owners.
Given my aversion to crowds we opted to go for a walk instead. We left the port and headed for the coastal road Rte de la Corniche Estate. It was a Sunday, and it seemed quieter for sure, and we had a lovely walk along the coast. We made our way up to a look out point and then did a quick loop through the Place de l’Independance square. Despite the heat we had a very positive time exploring and decided to end on a high note and head back to the ship.
Senegal is a developing country, and Dakar is a large city so, it definitely has its issues, and we found it interesting how many vehicles we saw that had winter tires or logos for Canadian companies… However, we enjoyed our experience and found the people we met to be very welcoming. Out current itinerary has us returning at some point, so we are hoping to get out of the city and see more of the country if we get the opportunity.
Cabo Verde Islands
Praia, Santiago
After a quick sea day, we docked in Porto de Praia on the Cabo Verde Island of Santiago. It is the capital of the Capo Verde Islands. There doesn’t appear to be a cruise port, so we are docked in a commercial area full of shipping containers. Interestingly they just let us walk through the port to the gate with very little supervision.
It was a fairly long walk to town, so we stuck to the coastal road to enjoy the breeze. Praia is made up of several plateaus on a volcanic island, but Mike wanted to walk out to the lighthouse first, so we made our way around the bay to the Farol Dona Maria Pia lighthouse. It is still active and currently undergoing extensive restorations to create a museum and gift shop on site. There was a lovely gentleman working security and he guided us through the construction and to the top of the lighthouse for a nominal fee.
We left the lighthouse and made our way back to the city center which was quite lovely. There was a long treelined pedestrian area lined with shops and restaurants and it was a shady reprieve from the hot sun. At this point we decided to head back to the ship to escape the later afternoon heat. These one-day stops are too quick, but we are grateful for the opportunity regardless.
Mindelo, Sao Vicente
Our second stop in Cabo Verde was on the island of Sao Vicente in the port town of Mindelo. The island sits very close to it’s neighboring island Santo Antao and it creates a stunning view of volcanic mountain ranges surrounding the port. We arrived later than usual, and we were sitting at breakfast watching the ship come into port. You really can’t beat the views here.
Mike really wanted to hike up to a viewpoint behind the city, but it was too hot for me, so we compromised. We hiked up to the Fortim Do Rei just outside the port. The remains of the building that was there aren’t much to see, but the views from the top were great. Afterwards we headed into town and wandered around for an hour or so. It’s a very pretty place and bustling with activity. Mindelo is home to 93% of the island’s population which is approximately 80, 000, so it makes sense that it’s a busy place.
We returned to the ship for lunch and then headed back out to check out the beach Praia da Laginha. It was pretty windy, and we got sandblasted a little bit, but the water was wonderful and definitely worth it. There were schools of small fish playing along the shore. Mike tried to swim with them, but they kept moving away from him. I've added a video of them, but the wind was causing the water to ripple, so it's hard to see them. We played in the water for an hour and then head ‘home’. They booked local entertainers for this evening on the ship, so we wanted to be back to catch that.
Grupo Carnavalesco Monte Sossego performed for us onboard the ship before we set sail. They are a carnival group based in Mindelo; the group has been around for over 40 years with different members of course. Their musicians were fantastic, and their handmade costumes were spectacular.
Now we are heading across the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean. We have 7 long days of sailing ahead of us, but the forecast is promising and there is always something going on onboard to keep us busy. See you on the other side!
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