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For once it was not up and out early. In fact it was more lie in bed until you know you’ve got to do something before you get bed sores. I’d promised I’d clear out the back bedroom (my painting room) so Scamp’s sister and her husband have somewhere to sleep tomorrow when they return from their cruise. After that, I was exhausted so I got the bus in to Glasgow. Half an hour between buses and then forty five minutes for a twenty minute journey, and the pinheads in the government wonder why people don’t use public transport. When was the last time they actually sat on a bus? However, I shouldn’t complain too much because I don’t have to pay for the privilege

Glasgow was jumping today. It was looking its best, though and the sun made it look much more vibrant than usual. I took a wander down Bucky Street past St Enoch’s to the Clyde, but apart from taking a shot of a Brian May lookalike playing loud guitar with lots of reverb and little else. Then as a complete contrast my next few shots were of a couple of Polish guys playing some smooth jazz. There wasn’t much to see down by the Clyde. Lots going on, but nothing that moved me to press the shutter button. I walked back up along Queen Street where I usually can find something interesting at the GOMA, but nothing worthwhile today. Loads of people but no interesting shots.

Got the bus home. Luckily the fast bus which only took just over 20 mins. Scamp was sitting in the garden when I got home, admiring yesterday’s work. I decided to join her and sat for a few hours taking in some rays. Of course, I also managed to take some shots of the flowers we bought yesterday. The gazania really shone in today’s sunshine. It had to be the star.

This morning, after a fairly bouncy passage north, we woke to the news from the captain that the seas were too high to safely use the tender for going ashore, so therefore we would not be going to Monte Carlo as promised.  A few minutes later there was another message that we would instead be going to St Tropez where the winds and sea were lighter and the bay was more sheltered.  We were disappointed  at first, but as we hadn’t been to St Tropez before, and as we had no choice anyway, it seemed like the best solution, so off we sailed to St Tropez.  The journey didn’t take too long and as soon as we were anchored the tenders were readied.  Now I know I’ve criticised P&O quite a lot in this blog, but this is one thing they excel at, organization.  New port information sheets were printed and issued to every cabin.  A “going ashore” presentation was swiftly organised.  Tender tickets were issued and the whole thing simply worked like clockwork.  We were passengers 638 and 639, but it only took about 20 mins from getting the ticket to boarding a rocky tender.  A tender, by the way for those who don’t know is just a small boat used to ferry passengers from the main ship at anchor to the jetty or pier.  Usually with a cruise ship, it’s the lifeboats that are used as tenders.

We wandered round the front area of ST and quickly found that it was just one big traffic jam.  Occasionally some hooray Henry would race past in daddy’s Porsche,  but it was mainly motor scooters and motorbikes that were deemed the best way of cutting through traffic.  We walked through a market, but as the time was 1.00pm, most of the stallholders were shutting up shop for the day.  It seems that the market opens around 6.00am and shuts between 1.00 and 2.00pm.

After the walk around the market, we headed for the old harbour to see the fancy yachts.  They’re called yachts, but most of them are bigger than some cruise ships.  It doesn’t look as if many of them sail out to see very often.  Their owners get someone else to sail them in to port, then they themselves jet or helicopter in to spend a few days on them.  There seemed to be a lot of parties going on in them.  We, on the other hand, went looking for a bar to get a beer.  We found one, an Irish bar, run by an Italian in France!  Whatever, the beer was good.  As usual, we didn’t want to be late back, so we headed back to get the tender out to the ship.  After that, we had lunch then Scamp went sunbathing and I went for a short snooze.  After an hour, I joined her on the sun deck to roast myself for a while before we went to the cabin to finish packing.  Had dinner then watched a Headliners show before a drink, a hot chocolate and bed.  Need to be up and out before 9.00am tomorrow, ready to return to cold Scotland.  Oh well, All good thing must come to an end!  It was great fun, and we’d do it again with the same itinerary, but not with P&O, despite their organisation.  There are just too many flaws in their company.

Well, not quite dancing on a volcano, but sailing pretty close to it.  The it in question being Stromboli at the southern tip of Italy, but let me start at the beginning.  We woke around 8.30am and went out to see the passage through the Straits of Messina again.  I make no excuses for this as it is a great sight.  While we were there we saw the strange swordfish fishing boats with their enormous masts and crows nests where the pilot steers the boat to the shoals of swordfish.  There is also an extremely long bowsprit from which the fish are speared.  Unfortunately we never saw any actual fishing being done, but the pilots were in the crows nests steering the boats.  Scary looking stuff.  There was beautiful light on the coasts on both sides during the passage.  Lovely dramatic skies too.  We also passed the highest pylons in Europe which are now designated listed status. 

Just before we went for breakfast we saw a pod of dolphins, the second we’ve seen this trip.  After breakfast I went to a talk on JMW Turner and also on some bloke who’s paintings the gallery were trying to push.  Strangely, when the talk was finished and the powerpoint closed, there was a message on the screen to the effect that this was not a legal version of windows 7.  Pirates on a ship?  How apt.  A quick walk along the deck and we were at the next talk which was about ancient Rome, but couched as a port talk would be today.  The speaker was obviously really interested in his subject, but maybe took it a bit too enthusiastically for most of the audience. 

When that was done we had just started to get near to Stromboli.  We sailed right round it and were just sailing away when I saw some rocks falling down the scree with clouds coming from them.  I presume these were thrown out by the only active volcano in Europe.  A really amazing and scary sight.  I don’t think I’d like to live near it. 

Time for lunch, and after that it was sunbathing time, with a short interlude to watch the start of the Austrian F1 GP.  By about 5.00pm it was getting a bit cool to sit any longer so we went back to the cabin to get ready for the last formal night of the cruise.  Watched three soul singers in the early cabaret – very good entertainment.  After that, it was the Crew Show, but it was mainly the Entertainment Team and a few of the staff, but very few.  All in all, it was a good day at sea, well filled.  I’ll probably remember it most for Stromboli and the swordfish fishing boats.