11/8 Vigo Spain

Our first of three ports of call is Vigo, Spain. We’ve never been here, but everything we’ve read sounds like it’s a great walkable town with forts and things to do and see. Since it’s our first time on RCL, we’re not really sure about the on/off process, so we get ready and just watch from the Promenade deck to figure out the deal. It’s just like everywhere else – you just have to go….so off we go!

We hit the ground running – it’s a gorgeous day, mid-60’s, so we head out with only our sweaters and umbrellas (as a precaution), hit the ATM (thank god the card is still working!) and aim for the fish market. After walking a while, scooping out potential restaurants for lunch, we head up into the hills to find the Fortaleza – a fort at one of the highest points of the city where we can get good scenic pictures.

We stumble on what we think is the fort, a little ways up the hilly, winding old town streets. But no, this isn’t the fortress, it’s only the Fuerte de San Sebastian, the ruins of a fortress wall that once protected the town. The maps aren’t the greatest, but Ed has found some walking tour maps online and we manage to figure out our way from them. And our way is up, up, up! Up stairs, around winding lanes and finally to the top of the large Fortress with 360 views of Vigo. It’s a nice strenuous walk (why did we exercise in the morning?), and it’s cool enough that it doesn’t slay us by the time we reach the top.

After taking a bunch of pictures, we wind our way back down into town, walking along broad avenues and then exploring off into little alleys and streets soaking up the Spanish culture. It’s Saturday, so the town is just walking up and it’s really nice to just stroll all around looking at architecture, people and places.

After walking through the old town shopping district, and meandering around, we head back to the commercial fish market area – but then decide we’ve seen enough markets and don’t feel like crossing this huge expressway to get there. We head back into town looking at a couple of restaurants as possibilities, but really searching for Pescaderia street – which is known to have restaurants with fresh oysters and clams out front – shucked fresh for you. We find the little street a block off the main avenue by the water, and sure enough, there are tons of restaurants, each with their own old Spanish lady out front tempting you with fresh oysters. It’s a great scene, but we are not eating raw oysters! Not here, not anywhere, so we pass on the action. Plus, remember, we’re just coming off Thailand and we are still in sticker shock. The prices for one meal are just astronomical – and we are sorely tempted to go back to the ship for free food!

But, as we meander down the street, we find a little place called Cerveceria Gril’s where they have beer and reasonably priced Polpi (octopus) tapas, which is what Ed wants. We plop down at a table and order the octopus and chorizo – it’s all very good – chorizo just the way we like it, actually in a wine sauce we can dip our bread into, and the octopus was grilled perfectly. Not the cheapest thing in the world (21.50 Euros), but nice to at least be eating our favorite Spanish foods without totally breaking the bank.

It’s such a pretty day, we end up just walking around more after lunch. The city is very easy to get around and it is fun soaking up the Spanish atmosphere. We stop at one of the many pastry and alcohol stores (we don’t get the connection, but we’ve seen 5 of these places so far) and stock up on our liquid beverages. We have a wonderful conversation all in Spanish (here we go again) with the proprietress. She’s a doll – and we think she was telling us to climb up the hill for the view (which we had done), but then also that a women’s clothing store was having a big sale? Not quite sure on that last part, but that was my interpretation of her Spanish and hand signs!

Next we salivated over some incredible looking chocolate pastries at another pastry shop. Finally gave into our salivary glands and purchased an éclair and this awesome chocolate covered meringue. Oh my gosh! The éclair was good- the meringue? Heavenly! Hard chocolate that broke apart in your mouth, the meringue was gooey and only partially set, and melted in your mouth. Add a crunchy little cookie on the bottom and I was in 7^th heaven! Diet be damned (don’t expect me to be eating anything but salads once we get off this ship - for at least the rest of year!).

Back down to the port, we join the long queue getting back aboard. Once again, we are faced with the jostling and lack of personal space protection that accosts you around all these Europeans and Brits. I have to literally shoulder some guy behind me so he will get off of me. He is leaning up against me with his big belly and pushing me – and it’s not like we’re in a close area – we’re on this huge wide concrete dock in a long line. Geez – that drives me crazy.

Finally he and his lady partner move to another line - huge sigh of relief – and we move forward in line to board. We have heard RCL is pretty strict on their alcohol policy – so we have taken our illicit beverages and tried to hide them as best we can in the backpack and a bag (where we’ve wrapped the cans in a jacket and put a box on top of them). We proceed through the scanning, Ed gets the extra wand (there is something that keeps buzzing every time he walks through the scanner) and I go to pick up the back pack and bag. As I’m turning away from the bag scanner conveyor, the guy watching the scanner says “wine, wine!” and another security officer starts shouting, “where? Which one?” “That one,” the first guy says. I shove the bag at Ed and hiss “lets go” and take off. Fortunately, there is a huge crowd clogging the hallway right at the elevators and we manage to evaporate in the crowd as I hear the security gal asking everyone – “do you have any wines? Show me your wines. Any liquors?” I’m up 2 flights of stairs and half way to the cabin with Ed trailing behind! Oh my gosh! Don’t know that it was actually us that set them off – we had cans – but still. Got our hearts racing! Guess they are serious about not bringing alcohol on board!

Safe in our cabin with our stash, we watch the sailaway from the balcony and get ready for another day at sea.