Letters from The Sea - Part III: Barcelona and Beating Colin Cole!

In my wonderfully random status as part-crew, part-passenger, I get to NOT do the weekly emergency drills. This involves dragging the entire crew out of bed, getting them all kitted out in life-jackets and then making them wait around in their appointed positions. A few of them have real things to do – there’s always a pretend fire somewhere – which keeps them occupied for the hour, but the rest, who are on Stair Guide Duty or Muster Station Duty, just hang about being bored and trying to keep their eyes open. Me, I’d planned to sleep through the whole thing then meet up with my new On Board Buddy to head to Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia…. In fact I was awoken 2 hours before my alarm by the excessively noisy anchor-lowering process… Still, I got to have a long, slow breakfast on top deck, with a really quite nice view of Barcelona Port, while the rest were nodding off to sleep with chins resting on life jackets… More and more I am glad this is not a long term thing!

Hooked up with Matt, one of the singers (and quite a good one too), 22 year old from north Wales and missioned into Barna… It’s the second anniversary of Henry’s death today, so I’d planned a little ritual at the church – forgetting, of course that it’s not actually finished being built yet, so no candle-lighting was possible, but managed to find a quiet corner outside to have a moment with thoughts and photos. Sagrada Familia is truly the most beautiful of places, and the only church I’ve thought that, if I was god, I’d live THERE. It’s really a spiritual experience even though it’s still a building site. Gaudi was such a special human being to even have had the imagination to envision such a place… Unfortunately the queues to get up the lift to wander in wonder between the towers was enormous and I had a 3PM soundcheck back on board so we didn’t have time to go up (ridiculously you’re not allowed to walk up anymore, but you have to walk down – quoting “security” reasons – yeah, the security of charging another 2 euros to use the lift…)


If I were God, forget St Peter's... I'd live HERE.

So yet AGAIN the pointlessness of cruising is emphasized. I knew where I was going, and granted I had to be back 2.5 hours before passengers, but it was still a rush just to see this one thing. Matt is staying on for 5 months though, and loved Sagrada F, so I’ve now given him a long list of Things To See in Barcelona every time the ship docks here. As I mentioned previously, you only get to see the edges of things…

I am, however, also becoming aware of just how big a Big Business cruising actually is. There were about 6 or 7 other ships in the section of the harbour we were in, all similar sizes to us, so I’m guessing about 2,000 people on board each. There’s 4 fully functional, newly built, airport stylee terminals, and both Gibraltar and Barcelona had proper, organised public transport to and from the harbour. I imagine most of the ports we’ll be going to are the same. And ships from all over the place! And ours is about the ugliest I’ve seen so far – it’s got a really bulbous front that’s not very pretty – will try remember to take a photo…

Tonight’s entertainment is a group effort from all the tribute acts- George, Tina and Robbie! With band and bad backing tracks.. Still, it’s much easier for me than the full-on shows, and we can leave it all set up for more cabaret tomorrow night, so we’ll be in the crew bar early and there’s a poker game planned.. I KNOW I’ll lose my money, but hey, I do like a game of cards, me! Which means a late night and therefore I’ve planned to not bother leaving the ship in Palma, I’m going to take full advantage of the changeover of passengers and hit the top deck, the pool and a lazy day doing nothing. Only start work after 5PM! Yay!


Backstage with Robbie, George and Tina

Then a sea-day on Wednesday, which is a LONG day’s work (unbelievably dull sales presentations to be babysat and long rehearsals for the evening’s two shows) but then I think we’re somewhere worth seeing the next day. Naples or summat. I’m still not entirely sure where we’re going! I’m keeping the surprise element there just for added interest…

Many hours later…

It is now 6.20 AM and I’m STARVING! Been playing poker since midnight, and while my card-playing friends have gone to bed, I’m too psyched up to sleep… Just won TWO of four rounds of poker – and am £70 richer for my efforts… I don’t really understand the rules of poker that well, I do rely on other people telling me when I’ve got the better hand but somehow tonight it all just went my way… And the best was beating the CRAP out of a huge big giant of an aussie comedian, who relies a lot on obscenities in his act and who took me on as “the bitch” and thoroughly expected to beat me. He went out early in the first game, and when I won, he looked me square in the eye and demanded we all play again so he could beat me. Instead I took his cash off him a second time, and he left the table in disbelief… I also took everyone else’s cash off them, but that gave me very little pleasure. Beating Big Man Colin Cole, however, was one of the highlights of the last few days…


The man is even bigger than he looks in this picture...

Hanging in the crew mess till 6.30 till breakfast starts and then I’d better go to bed at some stage.. Really want to spend some time on the top deck and in the pool tomorrow (today) – only have to work at 17.30… Bugger Palma. Need some time off and I’m convinced it’ll all be the same as the greek islands… Lots of vaguely local restaurants that cater for Full English Breakfasts and present their menus in four different languages. Just wanna bask in the sun and swim in the pool and take it easy…