Haynes World - ships, ferries, a laugh on the ocean wave, and other interesting things...

16 July 2020

ORIANA 29th June 2019 Part 7


Tuesday 2nd July 2019
This morning we arrived in Ferrol (El Ferrol). I see that I took several pictures on board ORIANA this morning before a group of us left the ship to go ashore. The sky looked grey and menacing so there was no rush.


El Ferrol on the map


Welcome to El Ferrol


Entrance to the Crows Nest


Part of the Crows Nest bar area



Treasures on display


Deck plan



Pool and deck


The blue funnel


Naval Vessel



Oriana details


After visiting the ORIANA Library on board I managed to find an Admiralty Chart on display in the Crow's Nest Bar. I had previously asked about this in Reception and they didn't know there was one on board, so I could let my chums know now.

Off the ship some of us headed for the Ferrol Naval Museum, on a route through an ancient part of this old naval town with its steep cobbled streets, up to the church of St. Francisco. Outside were flower beds with a wonderful display of Gaura bushes. I think these ethereal looking summer-flowering plants are a rewarding treasure to grow, and unknown to many gardeners. Lovely to see them here.


Walking in the cobbled streets


Interesting to see


And another




Naval Museum



Inside


I enjoyed looking at this


Fascinating view ahead



The remains of the Magdalena (1773-1810)



The buildings in the Naval Museum and the Museum of Naval Construction housed a wondrous collection of treasures, from vessels of so many different ages. There were various tableaux and I was interested to see one of a shipyard forge (looking rather large and clean), creating items for the ships. My paternal grandfather was an engineer in Chatham Dockyard all his life, and I know that when he married his marriage certificate stated his father's name and occupation, which was said to be Blacksmith, in Chatham Dockyard. I always enjoy visiting that Dockyard too!

The lure of coffee called and we found the Cafe Derby, and spent a happy hour there with wine, tapas, liqueurs and discussions about what we had seen and enjoyed.


Oriana seen from one of the streets as we headed down



Back at the quayside I could hear and then see 8 Galician musicians playing for a growing audience. I found the music very interesting as the timing was 5 beats to a bar in one particular piece they played, which was quite unusual to my ears.


The musicians on the quayside near Oriana



We had a late lunch on board and then it was time to prepare for departure; we'd had a fascinating visit here to El Ferrol. Later we met for dinner and I was invited to join a group to meet a lady who had sailed with her parents in 1952, aged 19, on the cruise ship CHUSAN from Tilbury to Norwegian ports. The ship was then just 2 years old.

Ships seen: Oriana, Spanish Naval vessel F105


To be continued...