Day 9...ESPANA HERE I COME!

Day 9 / C 7, June 23rd:

This post is coming to you from the 7th deck of the MV Explorer.  Normally, I would be sitting by the pool or watching the waves, but tonight the group is teaching my roommate Daniel to do a cartwheel.  Now this is hilarious!  I love our group! It is so spontaneous.  Anyways, we all just got out of our logistical and cultural pre-port meetings.  These meetings are mandatory for everyone on the ship and they tell us everything we need to know about Spain including how to get a taxi, what not to eat, where we will need our passport, where the ship docks, etc.  In the morning, the group is waking up to see our first sunrise from the boat before the pilot arrives on the boat at 07:00.  You may be asking what, how, or why?  The pilot is a local ship captain that will assist our crew in docking our ship in the port.  He will arrive on the boat by helicopter.  If you believe that I will tell you another one…  The pilot actually arrives by a small boat, which will pull along side the ship and he will board via the 2nd deck.  By 08:00, the ship should be settled into port, secured, and tucked in for its nap for the next 4 days.  By 08:30, the gangway should be dropped and Spanish customs officials will begin to clear the ship, while all of the ship members attend the Diplomatic Briefing in the Union.  Once customs clear the ship, we can begin running, jumping, and flying off the ship.  There will be a shuttle service just for our ship that will run from the port to the bottom of the Las Ramblas.  Okay enough about the boring logistics…

After we can leave this wonderful ship and worship land for the first time in 9 days, Danielle and I are headed to the Las Ramblas (like Market Street in Charleston) to explore and find tickets to a flamenco performance tomorrow night.  Google flamenco if you want to learn more or stay tuned, as I will provide an update.  I really don’t know what to expect, but it should be a great cultural experience.  It also will be an experience dinning in Barcelona, as they eat all day long with dinner around 10 or 11 at night.  On Friday, Spain is playing in the World Cup, so the whole city should be having a party!  It should be interesting.  Daniel, Clark, and Lacey are taking a SAS trip to Madrid and Toledo on Friday and Saturday, so Danielle, Heather, and I will be on our own, along with any other members of our extended group.  It should be fun!  I am sure we will meet others hanging around the city too.  We also want to see Gaudi buildings, Parque Guell (outdoor park designed by Gaudi located at the top of Las Ramblas), Boqueria Market (local food market), La Sagrada Familia, the gothic Quarter, Miro Fountain up on Montjuich, and of course just explore!  We have all kinds of information from Mr. David, the interport lecturer, which I ate lunch with again today and he spoke in my International Economics course.  He was absolutely awesome and I wish he was participating in the entire voyage  (but he is leaving us in Spain…).  His son (which came with them for their short trip) is actually from Charleston, so it was neat to talk to them.  David is actually going to be the Dean for the entire Fall voyage…I wish I could go!  Anyways, I guess I should get some sleep as I have 4 busy days ahead of me!  Hasta luego…Spain here I come!!!!!!!!

Noon Report for June 23rd:

3200 NM since Halifax, 335 NM since noon yesterday, 263 NM to Barcelona, average of 17.71 knots since Halifax, average of 14.56 knots since noon yesterday, closest land is 9 NM SE of Cabo de Palos (Spain), sea depth is 2,395 ft, sea swells are 0.3 ft, water and air temperature is 70 degrees, sunset 21:26, sunrise 06:19, currently +6 hrs from EST, 76,874 gallons of water used since last noon, 73 gallons per person (the highest amount per person since Halifax).

P.S.  Nice day=everyone at pool=everyone nasty=everyone takes extra shower=highest water usage

P.S.S.  I should be able to use Blackberry Messenger while in Barcelona for FREE!  Calls and texts are never free, sorry!  BBM me!