Andi and Suzanne,

It looks like your excursion to Touradant was very similar to ours on the Silver Wind in November. You still had the hard-sell stop at the cosmetics company I wished we had avoided. You are so right about the slower pace of only a few on your excursion. I enjoyed seeing the hazy Atlas Mountains as we traveled there and back.

Ken, Great Goats In Trees pics.

Don't miss the Grand Mosque in Casablanca. It is amazing.

Continue to have a great time and share your adventures with us.

Ken - fantastic photos! THe goats are amazing. Sounds like you'all had an interesting day.

Bette hope you are now feeling better and ready to get back into things. It is true, though, where better could you be pampered than on Voyager.

Lynn - glad you are home safely. Sounds and looked like you had a fabulous time.

John/Tonya - loving your pictures from Rome. Brings back memories. Gotta go back someday soon.

Love reading everyone's seamail! The goats in the trees are amazing, I would love to have seen that! Ken your pictures are wonderful, so professional!
Andi....you are the only woman I've ever known who wears a mini skirt to ride a camel! LOL ;)

Betty, I hope you're feeling better and will be back in the swing of things soon!

Andi ~"Freshening up for trivia..." takes on new meaning when you mention getting pooped on! :eek:

Suzanne ~What are you smelling??

Sounds like a must do trip for us! (haha)
Sorry, Betty, you aren't feeling your best. The Voyager is a wonderful place to be nursed back to health!

Thanks for the wonderful reports.

Everyone, thanks for the great picts and posts.

Betty, sure hope you feel better real soon.

Nancy

Ken,

Your photos are fantastic! The goats in the trees are amazing and a must see for us when we cruise CROSS.

These photos are really getting me primed for CROSS. November can't come soon enough!

The photo of Ngaire's reflection in the mirror is fabulous!

Thanks to all for your wonderful reports - and pixs!!!

Marcie...Nooooooooooooo way I rode a camel in a mini skirt. I was not appropriately dressed for Morocco, but attired in jeans for riding the camel in Lanzarote...I ripped my only clean pair of pants this am and threw on a mini jeans skirt and a too low top...all the rest of my clothes were dirty. Did a wash today....

Some updates...folks who took North Lanzarote trip liked it, but I don't know what they did. Folks liked the Agadir and Fantasia tour conducted by Regent. It was a very dramatic show with charging horses. For those who don't wish to shop, there are Berber massages you can get in Agadir for $30 Eu for 2 hours or $50 Eu for 3 hours. The tour concierge on Regent can help and folks said they were super.

Had a great evening starting with pre-dinner drinks with Ngaire and Ken in the observation lounge that grew to the entire LCT crew, including Englebert (Clinton look alike Hotel Director).

We moseyed (sp?) down to dinner at around 8 and got a table for 10 including two new additions...early retiree (Meryl) and husband Alan, Olivia, Suzanne, Tina, Prabha, Guy, Yvonne, Doug and me. We ate and ate and played musical food and giggled...just great fun. Then, some of our table turned in early and Ngaire and Ken joined us. A few of us then went up for after dinner partying in the Observation lounge. It was such a great day and this is such an awesome cruise. Miss Lynn, Tonya and John....but you are all in our conversations and hearts.

Nighty nite.

Andi and Ken...thanks so much for the reports and photos - we are always grateful for news! Keep having fun and sharing it.

Andi,

You are doing a great job of keeping us tapped in to the fun happenings on TAP. Please keep up the good work!

Ken, more great photos!

Andi, thanks for missing me. I am keeping track of every day of sea mail. I miss everyone, but to be honest, I am glad to be home. I don't think my body could take the touring.
Love to all.
Lynn

Hi from Casablanca. Looking out the window it looks like tall buildings of any large downtown.
Thanks for the well wishes everyone. Feeling better today. The doctor added some sort of Tylenol to my medicine and trust me, it's not the normal OTC Tylenol we buy at home. This one was magical ingredients. I was feeling better within an hour.
Everyone else has left for their tours. I canceled Rabat, but actually am taking the shuttle into town in 15 minutes. We sail away at 2:30 with another Grand Ice Cream Social on the Pool Deck.
I'll be looking forward, along with the rest of you, to hearing about everything they see today.

Hi Betty, So glad to hear you are feeling better. Those wonder drugs really worked. Hope you are back to normal for the rest of the cruise.

Glad you are feeling better, Betty. Enjoy your brief time in Casablanca.

Andi, your reports are great. Love all the details.

Ken, as usual, you photos capture the place perfectly. The picture of Ngaire in the mirror is terrific.

Sorry you were unable to go to Rabat, Betty. However, very good news that you're feeling better.

Went to both Casablanca and Rabat and had a lovely time. The Mosque is certainly something to see.

Again, blue sunny skies and perfect weather. I found the best deals on Moroccan crafts at the governmnt store in Casablanca. Large tagines sell for $28 Euros and small decorative tagines for as little as $6 Euros. Plates sell for about 12-20 euros. These are very good prices. There are also lovely jewelry items, tin and leather goods. I'll have to pick up a small suitcase tomorrow to carry these things in. I think I'm through with shopping. Think is the operative word.

Casablanca is a modern city, with a fair amount of poverty. I saw some shacks like those in Soweto (Africa). Rabat is a modern beautiful city with an historic area, a souk, a museum and a palace. There is also a palace in Casablanca.

There's not enough time in this port to give it justice. All in all, another lovely day.

Thanks Andi for the update. Sounds like a great time and sounds like you are seeing some pretty interesting places. Just makes me more excited for CROSS, as we will be re-tracing your steps.

Hi Andi,

Sounds like another great day! Did you do the ship's tour or with a private guide?

Private

The guide that they are using is the one Fred booked for us. In Rabat and Agadir.

I am waiting, waiting in my cabin for Gibralter. Just couldn't last like Suzanne can! Tonight I came into theater for SSS party bfore dinner, and the cruise consultant asked me if I was looking for my sister. She meant Suzanne, and when Suzanne came in a few minutes before, she called her by my name. We both have big hair, must be the gene that links us.

We had dinner tonight at another big table. Andi and Doug and I have "picked up" the neighbors between us. Nice couple from the Dallas area.

I love what Capt. Knute did last year in Gibraltar - he stopped the ship and spun it around for a while. Gibraltar was all lit up and the view was wonderful in the Observation lounge.

Glad you enjoyed your day in Casablanca and Rabat, Andi.

Ok, what is a tagine?

TAPers -

If you had to choose between Casablanca or Rabat, which would you choose?

How does the Mosque in Casablanca differ from the Blue Mosque in Istanbul?

Kathy,

Your special stop at Gibraltar reminds me of our special evening stop to view Stromboli, while cruising on VOF. It was spectacular - especially when we saw the puffs of smoke followed by red hot lava spilling down Stromboli.

Donna,

Here's some info on tajines -

Tajines

Thank you, Denise. Now I know. And, I loved Stromboli, too. Capt. Dag stopped the SOF for us to see.

LOL!!! Donna, I am glad you asked the question!

We head for the airport in less than an hour. Rome has been wonderful. The history is just overwhelming. We spent all day yesterday at the Vatican & the Castel St. Angelo. It was amazing. We had a private tour which was great. The guide was incredibly patient with us non art experts. He explained the importance of scores of works by Raphael, DiVinci, Michelangelo, and countless others.

We miss all the TAPers. It sounds like you guys are having a great time finishing out the cruise. Betty, I'm glad you're feeling better. Sorry we missed you that last evening before we left. Everyone have fun and have a safe journey home.

I've loaded all the photos from Rome on my site.

www.worldflyer.net/tap

Casablanca ? Rabat? Your choice. Email me privately.

There are cooking and serving tagines and they come in different sizes. Prices range for 5 Euros to about 28. They are great for cooking and about half the cost of prices in US. I have no idea how I'll get them back (lol).

John:

Your photos are awesome. It looks like you had perfect weather and a good guide. Thanks for sharing your journey with us.

Bonnie,

I was smelling Argon oil. There are two varieties, one used for cooking (smelled like roasted almonds) and one used in cosmetics (high in viatmin E).

Andi and I sat in the Observation lounge last night waiting to pass "The Rock". I have passed it before on the Song sailing in the opposite direction so knew what to watch for. We sailed by at about 1:30 am and I was disappointed that it was not illuminated as before. Then I realized that although we were to move our clocks forward two hours at 2am, it was past 3:30am Gib time. A little late (or way too early)for most people viewing...

Hopping a cab today and heading for the white town of Mijas.

I didn't make it for the passing of "The Rock", or perhaps it passed me by in the dark. Having passed it before when it was illuminated, I thought if I just kept the curtains open I would notice it!

Just a fair warning to you CROSSER's. You will not have time to do both the interior of the Hassan II Mosque and do justice to Rabat. We arrived in port at 8a.m. and sailed at 3p.m. First guided tour of Mosque is at 9 a.m., and it takes more than an hour. No quick walk throughs permitted, then Rabat is maybe 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 hour away. Just can't fit it all in one day, that's why Regent offers either a drive by and Rabat, or the full tour of the Mosque. While we had a great day, there just wasn't time for everything, but our short glimpse of Rabat was lovely!

I hope you will get to see the tree goats in Agadir! Regent tour bus did not stop, too dangerous to cross that road for a busload of people, as it is a two lane road. Our guide knew we wanted to see this, and since we were only 10, allowed the stop.

Observation Lounge was packed before dinner night before last. All inclusive doing the trick!

Thanks, Olivia. I have been in contact with a guide for our Casablanca port. She, too, said no time for both. Trying to weigh the Mosque vs. Rabat. Hard decision. Our stop in Casablanca is shorter than TAP's. Therefore, I'm not sure if we would really do Rabat any justice as it's such a distance.

Taroudant and goats in trees is a must do and I will advise our guide.

Sorry you all missed seeing the Rock.

John/Tonya,
So glad to hear your time in Rome was so enjoyable. Great photos! Thanks for posting them on a regular basis for us all to drool over! Safe trip home.

Missing the rock is a great excuse for another cruise, as if you needed one!

Malaga port was terrific today. Again, perfect weather...high 70's and blue, blue skies. There is so much to do from this port, a couple of days would really not hurt. From here, you can go to the lovely town of Rondo or see the Alhambra. If you don't wish a long bus tour, the town is charming.

There is a great beach right next to the ship and the town is about 5-10 minutes by shuttle. There is so much to do downtown. Picasso Museum and Home, wonderful quaint streets, a castle, a botanical garden, hop on/off buses, carriage rides, historical museums, great restaurants, shopping (leather)...

Whatever your fancy, it is there!

Kathy, we didn't miss the rock. It was there as plain as day. Only it was night and it was not illuminated. We still had a nice time waiting for the rock to appear. It was so big...much bigger than I thought it would be. And spending time with Suzanne was great even though we got sleepier and sleepier.

Well, only one more day... :mecry: ... thinking about packing.. before we hit Barcelona. This has been a terrific trip!

We arrived here early and were out and about about 9:30 (could have been earlier, if we wanted to get up) and the buses are rolling in now 4pm. Last shuttle at 4:30 and we sail again at 5pm. This is a nice long day. Wish others were as long.

John, great photos of Rome.

Andi and Suzanne, you must be two sleepy ladies this morning!

Hi everybody,

Thank you for the continuing reports. John, many thanks for the pictures of Rome ( it's my favorite city in the world, so far!).

Did anybody among the Tappers go to Granada/ Alhambra?

Maria, none that I know of. That would have been a tough assignment, given that it was a long tour andwe lost two hours of sleep last night! The busses from that excursion are just pulling in.

We had a wonderful day in the village of Mijas. I highly recommend this white "hill" town to anyone looking for a relaxing day of strolling. Hope Ken will post some pictures when he has time!

Sounds like you had a lovely day, Olivia. Loosing two hours of sleep can really do you in when you have a long day of touring.

What did you think of the Mosque in Casablanca? Worth seeing?