Rab & Lesley's Big Trip
Days 128 to 145 - St Helena to Home
After leaving Namibia our ship was originally scheduled to visit a number of countries that border the west african coast but because of the recent ebola outbreak the route was changed.
Days 128 to 130 were spent at sea with nothing of interest
Day 131 - 9th April 2016
St Helena
The island of Saint Helena in the South Atlantic was where Napoleon was incarcerated from 1815 until his death in 1821
Some of our party were lucky enough to tour the island in this old charabanc, we sadly were in a 10 seater minibus.
Longwood House - Napoleon's 'prison'
A chandelier in the first hallway - taken before I was firmly told 'No Pictures'
Napoleons original Tomb. His remains were moved in 1840 to Les Invalides in Paris
View from Longwood House
While Napoleon died on the island aged 51, the islands oldest resident came to the island at the tender age 50 in 1882
He is now 184 years old (2016) and believed to be the worlds oldest living land animal.
Meet Jonathan - a Seychelles Giant Tortoise
One famous landmark on the island is 'Lot and his wife'
These 3 pictures were taken within the space of 2 minutes and show the very changeable cloud cover
Jamestown, the major settlement is wedged into a steep valley:
Harbour end
Top end of the valley
Creeping along the bottom of the first picture is Jacob's ladder
Here is a better view
The stair leads up from the harbour area of town to the village on the cliff top to the right of town as seen below
Our ship as seen from the cliff top part of town
Day 132 - At Sea
Entertainment on board
The crew entertained us with a 'Greek Night' (captain was Greek)
Day 133 - 11th April 2016
Ascension Island
We arrived at Ascension Island
We had had some problems landing by tender at St Helena and the jetty at Ascension is quite exposed to heavy surf. The ship had been there 6 times before but only landed passengers once.
Captain considering the conditions..
It is now once in seven visits....
Days 132 to 139 - At Sea
Crossing the Equator
On day 134 we crossed the equator and were subjected to the usual ritual of appeasing Neptune
And the punishments for misdemeanors on the cruise
On Facebook one comment was 'What did the fish do?'
Day 140 - 18th April 2016
Casablanca, Morocco
As we approach the city we get our first sight of the El Hassan II mosque in the early morning mist
Almost docked we are greeted by locals as eager to take pictures of us
The El Hassan II Mosque is fairly new built over 7 years and opened in 1993 with the tallest minaret in the world at 210 metres
The main prayer hall which can hold 25000 worshippers
The wash rooms below the prayer hall
We managed a little time elsewhere in Casablanca but nothing to compare with the Mosque
Departure from the port...
Day 141 - 19th April 2016
At Sea
AT LAST ---- Whales!!!
Day 142 - 20th April 2016
Lisbon, Portugal
Only a short time in Lisbon but it is close enough for us to come here for a short break - and we will I am sure
So thinking we'd see the city another time we took a tour up the coast the Cascais and Sintra
Cascais
Sintra
And its Royal Palace with its huge kitchen chimneys making it look like an oast house
Lisbon from the ship
The Monument to the Discoveries seen as we sailed down the Tagus
And then a tall ship that passed us as we went back to sea
Then two more days at sea until we finally reach home
Day 145 - 23rd April 2016
Tilbury cruise terminal
THE END
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