I like picturesque Lisbon! The cruise terminal is located here just steps from old Alfama quarter and it is for me each time to walk narrow, cobbled streets uphill, enjoying the views. Today I was walking to discover new places: Basilica Estrela. National Panteon, St Vincent monastery. More than 10 kms in total but in the afternoon we had beautiful sun and I managed to implement all my plan. Tomorrow we have day at sea and we will be passing Gibraltar Straits. The next port will be Alicante in Spain the day after tomorrow…

Strong sun since the morning. Everybody goes to the open deck to enjoy the view of Vigo – the capital of the Spanish province Galicia. I an first time here! Already at 10.30 I have been ashore. Many fellows paid for the excursions to Santiago de Compostella, I did already Camino de Santiago, so I decided to climb the castle hill for the view, enjoying the sun after stormy days. From the castle it was worth to step down to Plaza Espana to see great “caballos” monument and then – down Gran Via to the modern complex of the railway station. Many shops are hidden here. I bought the 0.7 l bottle of Caribbean rum for just 6 euro. Your health dear friends!!. Tomorrow I will see charming Lisbon again!

Day at sea. The sea it is not so rough, bu we still experience strong wind and cloudy weather. Today I had a chance to meet my 48th captain. Captain Severino shaking my hand said that he remember my face. But I cannot remember him… Maybe he was only the first officer when we met? Nice gentelmen, still young.
– So you visited all countries of the world? For them it is hard to believe… Perhaps I am the first passenger who managed to did that?! Nice gymnastics’ show in the theatre in the evening!

It is still blowing strongly from the Atlantic, but no rain ant the sun appeared in the mid-day. This it my first visit in this big port. Fortunately they have cruise pier opposite the old part of the city so here is no need to pay for the shuttle bus. The commercial port is far in the back. It took me 20 minutes to walk to the Fish Market, then 15 minutes to the rather low Notre Dame cathedral (nothing special but…) much higher, with a tower visible from the port is modern St Joseph church. But the highlight of the city is huge library decigned by famous Ocsar Niemeyer. The white, no-window structure has a shape of the volcano. Local tourist info offers city maps in the port and on the city. But free wifi you will find only in the basement of library. Interesting day – tomorrow we have second day at sea on the way to Spain. I expect to meet our captain!

Dark, windy and rainy morning at sea. High waves. The sea is rocking and rolling. Fortunately our ship has two 6-meters long stabilizers. The crew locked all outside decks. Not much to do except eating. :). In the afternoon Kate – the hostess of the English speking group gave us a lecture about the ship. We have 3500 passengers aboard and 1250 crew members from 35 countries. Few of them remember me from the other ships – that’s so nice!

Ahoy! Today in the morning our ship docked in the southernmost port of Norway – little Kristiansand. It was foggy and rainy in the morning but later sun appeared and I started a walk around. They offer city maps and free internet already at the pier. It is walking distance to the main square where protestant cathedral stands. Still a lot of flowers around and little fort to visit for free near yacht marina. It is also worth to climb little granite hill 500 m west of cathedral for the view. Nice, neat place, worth the visit. Tomorrow we have day at sea and day later we will be docking on Le Havre.

The flight from Gdansk to Copenhagen tooke only one hour. Then I took a metro yellow line to the city center to enjoy in the morning sun the “Wonderful Copenhagen” (do you remember this old, nice song?). The station of the metro Kongens N is right on the square where Royal Theatre stands and Nyhaven Canal – the old canal of the port offers tourist boats, sidewalk restaurants and the view of fishing boats and old houses. Crowd of tourists take a pictures here. To get from this place to the cruise port you should continue by metro blue line to the end of the line. Then there is bus 25 stop taking people to the ship. All for one ticket – it costs 30 crowns an is valid 90 minutes. i am waiting for check-in in the terminal where my ship docked. We will be leaving Copenhagen at 6 pm!

I am setting off on a new journey with my backpack! It will begin with a short flight to Copenhagen, where I’ll board a beautiful white ship and sail a new route around Europe. Among the ports I’ll visit are three I’ve never been to! I’ll bid farewell to this ship only in Marseille and take a high-speed French train to the supposedly beautiful city of Lyon. This, too, will be a completely new place for me.
From Lyon, I’ll fly to Algeria on a low-cost airline. The only time I’ve been to this country was a very long time ago – in 1979. This time, I plan to travel by bus and train through Northern Algeria, visiting, among other things, the ruins of ancient Roman cities and picturesque stretches of coastline. I’ll then return to Poland on a budget airline, connecting in Paris. If there will be free internet access, you’ll find, as always, my hot notes from the trip in my travel log.
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It was raining yesterday in the evening, when I arrived to Prague at 9 pm. It was luckily only 15 minutes energetic walk to my Wellmess Hostel. Today at 8 am it was still raining, but at 9 am the sun appeared and I start my sentimental walk around the old city. Prague is still attractive and full of tourists. Church towers, ornate houses, art galleries and picturesque river with gotic king Charles bridge. At 11 am I was forced to check-out from the hostel. To save energy I took the tram 22 uphill to the gate of Prague Castle. Then I walked down through the courtyards – to cozy Mala Strana quarter.
Finally I entered Charles Bridge. What a views! What a day!
In the afternoon I took green line of subway and trolley bus 59 to get for free to the airport. The seniors travel here on city transport for free! I said goodbye to lovely Prague!

They wanted from me 36 euro for the “international “. rail ticket Budapest – Wien. It is better to buy it well in advance in the net – it will be around 17 euro? I arrived to Vienna at 11 am. The locker at the station cost me 2 euro (coins only) and I was free to walk to the eell known places: Belvedere, Johann Strauss monument in the Stadt Park, St Stephen cathedral. Then I took line 4 of the metro to go to Schonbrun Palace – garden is open to the public and from this side the Palace looks better. It was a pleasure to refresh memories after years. At 5 pm I returned to the main station to take the train to Prague. No crowd and quality internet connection… All for just 14 euro! I should be in Prague at 21.15…