Updates during our week at sea will not be as frequent with access to wi-fi only while we are in port.

As you know we boarded the beautiful Royal Princess on Saturday.

Our first stop was Cartagena, Spain. A fairly small city, we were able to take ourselves on a self guided walking tour of a few of their historical highlights like an ancient Roman theatre and amphitheatre. The good walk earned us a cold beer. We found a little outdoor patio where we could get a bucket of five beer for $6 Canadian. Back to the ship for some pool time, a glass of wine on our balcony while the ship departs, and a nice meal to end the day.

Gibraltar, UK, surprised us a little. We had connected with two other couples (both from California) prior to the cruise through the site, Cruise Critic. One of them took the lead by arranging a tour for seven of us to enjoy "The Rock". The 3.5hr tour was excellent with highlights like the Europa Point, St. Michael's Cave, Great Siege Tunnels, the 100 Ton Gun, and more. However, the real highlight was a visit with the Barbary Apes. About 250 of these protected creatures reside near the top of Gibraltar. They are very comfortable with people and maybe even help themselves to your shoulders or your food. We were lucky to visit while a couple of newborns clinging closely to their mother.

Tomorrow is a day at sea before we stop in Marseille, France.