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.
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.
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.
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.
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...