Final Destination

Saturday 7 April

We awoke to a very grey morning today – matching the sombre mood of many of the passengers about reaching the final destination of the cruise. Our first task was to investigate the laundry to find a free washing machine – there had been constant traffic from this area yesterday – and we were in luck. We filled the machine with our bags of dirty washing, before making our way to breakfast. As we were quite late this morning and due to the much cooler and uninviting weather, the Terrace Café was busy by the time we arrived, so finding a table was difficult. We ended up joining a couple related to Ethel and Denis, our bridge partners of yesterday, who were part of a contingent from Vancouver, but not dancers. They had traveled quite extensively throughout the world and gave us a few hints about traveling in America and Canada.

There was an intense fervour in the Martinis bar when all the Trivia teams gathered at 11.30 – brought forward by a few hours as the ship was due to dock around 17.00. A couple of new ladies joined our team (!), and Ella was still there, so the numbers had risen to twelve – not a good portent. But we set off at what we considered to be a ‘cracking’ pace – everyone sure we had the right answers – not always the case when we came to the scoring. Question: How is Barbara Millicent Roberts better known? We were helped in another question by remembering our time spent in the Thailand cocktail bars – our friends drinking Black Russians. We ended the championship by winning – tying with another team – for joint honours. In a separate knock-out competition, Colin (of Colin and Maureen partnership) won for his team in knowing that Les Dents de La Mer was the French for “Jaws”! We collected our last “O” points of the cruise, as immediately the after the quiz, it was time to “cash in” all the points – we had amassed just fifty one – some people had hundreds - but sufficient (40) to swap for a Tshirt. We gave our surplus to Alan and Kwan, who needed a few extra to exchange for their goodies.

It was then time once again to eat, before making our way to our last bridge class. Today was free play. Steve gave us a few hints about scoring – winning hands, rubbers and games – and then let us get on with playing as many hands as possible. We were again paired with Denis and Ethel. Both sides had some good calls today, and Colin and I finished with a mini slam – taking twelve of the thirteen tricks. I was the “dummy” hand and Colin played superbly to win the contract. Several people had gathered round to watch as we were the last table playing, and it was fitting that it was such a high scoring hand to end our lessons. Steve had proved an excellent teacher, as he had managed to get about thirty people playing bridge, who were new to the game. He told us many tales along the way, particularly about the experiences of his wife ‘Squeak’ who is a professional, and teaches advanced lessons not only on this ship, but also in California – she had been overseeing the Duplicate bridge games at the other end of Toscanas. We would like now to continue to play at home, and hope that we can learn the different rules and conventions used in the UK.

By the time class finished at 16.00 we were already entering the port at Barcelona – about an hour ahead of the already revised schedule (we had originally been expected at 19.00) - and we joined lots of the other passengers on Deck 10 to watch the captain manoevre the ship against the dock. We met and said “goodbye” again to many people who had become friends on board, including Colin and Maureen. We learned that a man had been found unconscious in the steam room earlier in the afternoon, and that accounted for the early arrival in Barcelona, as the pilot “had put his foot down on the gas” to get to port as quickly as possible. Ambulances were waiting at the quayside as we came to a standstill, although it was about an hour later before the casualty was taken off to hospital. We passed the time with Colin and Maureen at the Waves bar beside the pool. Lots of people were leaving the ship to explore Barcelona, but we had three days to wander the city, so finished our packing – as cases had to be outside the cabins by 22.00 tonight.

One our four original bookings for the restaurants had been for the Polo Grill tonight at 20.00, and when we arrived we were pleased to be joined by Stephen and John – Alan and Kwan had eaten earlier and disembarked to visit the Cathedral in the city – friendship was beginning to show signs of strain. We all had a splendid meal – starting with champagne and selecting the main course of jumbo prawns with vine tomatoes for starters, as well as lobster bisque with a dash of brandy. I had the New York strip for main course, while Colin reverted to the rack of lamb. Amazingly Colin still had room for carrot cake and cranberry chutney for dessert! Stephen and John went off to make a last tour of the ship, while we went to say yet another “goodbye” to Colin and Maureen and ended spending the next hour drinking liqueurs with them. By the time we returned to the cabin it was well after midnight – and we had to be up by 06.00 tomorrow if we were going to make breakfast before disembarking.

Our last night in our cabin, which has proved very comfortable, with probably the best sound-proofing we have had in any hotel – at equals the Convent at Salvador. We will be very sad to leave tomorrow, not just because it brings the end of our journey closer.