Top 10 Ports Of Call!

I have just finished nine nights onboard a Holland America Line ship where something unusual happened. We had two sea days which left seven days for ports and three of them were new to me. Three!

This is unheard of for me after thirty years of travelling for work. I am forever walking down gangways excited to be reaching a place for the ‘first time’ only to be left disappointed when I slowly recognise it!

I joined the ship in Ceuta, Morocco, which was a fabulous start due to the journey there: a car, a train, two tubes, an aeroplane, a taxi, a ferry and then I just walked because it was quicker. I had a night in a hotel smack bang in the middle of town. Giving me ample opportunity to wander around, admire the architecture, the homage to many philosophers and the giant statue of Hercules.

Later in the cruise we were headed to Almería which was new port of call number two. So after my usual Cortado E tostados I wandered the streets until I stumbled across the Alcazaba of Almeria. If you’re lucky enough to have been here you’ll be wondering now how anyone can ‘stumble’ across this beauty.

But it got even better when we reached Cagliari in Sardinia. I excitedly walked off the ship knowing the perfect Espresso Schiumato would be minutes away, and it was, but around an hour and three coffees later it suddenly hit me that I’d never visited this place before either. 

Three new places.

Early in the cruise I had a day in Barcelona. I have been there dozens of times, mostly to join or leave a ship but frequently I get to explore and and the hours I spent here this time were just so enjoyable I wrote a blog about them. If you missed it you can catch up with it here.

It was on my flight home that I decided to come up with my Top 10 Ports of Call blog.

In no particular order here they are.

1) Half Moon Island.

I worked on an old cruise ship called the Marco Polo for years. My first contract was supposed to be six weeks long but ended up being six and a half months. I started in South Africa, crossed to South America then embarked on a two month stint of eight cruises around Antarctica before I headed back up South America and down the Amazon River finishing up in the Caribbean. A stunning contract where friends for life were made but the highlight, by a country mile, was Antarctica. Hard to pick a favourite as every port was different but memories of lounging on the pebbled beach of Half Moon Island with my great mate Security Bob and thousands of Chin Strap penguins wins.

2) Toronto

Specifically 2005/2006 when I lived just off Bloor St. The year before I’d appeared on the Hog Town Comedy Festival and just fell in love with Toronto.  A big city with a small town feel, I immediately felt at home. It is also the location of one of my top ten coffee shops, sandwich shops  and record shops making it a shoe in for this list.

It has just dawned on me that Toronto isn’t strictly a port of call but I’d have never visited there in the first place were it not for my mates Wobin and Pete, both of whom I’d met onboard the Marco Polo.

3) Punta Arenas.

I’d been here maybe ten times without really knowing the importance of the place, the history or how close it was to Torres Del Pain. Close being a five hour drive but totally worth it. I could have gone through my life of travelling without visiting it too had it not been for Lyn. She joined me for a cruise around Antarctica which started in Punta Arenas so we arrived a few days early, took in the mountains and thoroughly enjoyed our hotel, The Yellow Submarine, which held a rock concert we managed to sleep through. It must have been the mountain air!

4) Grytviken

I love Shackleton. I have read about him and even blogged about him! But before all this, when he was merely a name I recalled from a history class decades before, I’d been to his resting place on South Georgia, more than once too. So many stories but the one I will offer was from Rabbie Burns Night, 2004. With the help of my mate Pete, who was lead tech onboard the Polo,I helped set up the sound system for the island’s scientists for their night of celebration. Once finished we noticed the drinks table being set up and after a longing glance Pete was offered a beer which he eagerly accepted. “Paul?” I was offered but declined. I’d recently been diagnosed with diabetes and told them unless they had a sugar free larger I’d have to say no. On the beat the scientist opened the can and handed it to me saying,

“We’ve got doctors!”

5) Loch Ness

The views! Our little caravan. Two dogs. Lyn, Thomas and Lucy. Cooking for my kids. Climbing a mountain. So many memories were made from this idyllic spot. It still ranks as my favourite family holiday with them all. So quiet. So many highlights but at the Loch Ness Experience seeing Thomas change his mind from not believing in the Loch Ness Monster and moving to ‘maybe’ was huge! And let’s not forget about the device I built to toast marshmallows without leaving my seat. Check it out on YouTube.

I have decided that ‘port of call’ is now just a term for somewhere I have travelled to, stopped and explored. The Oxford English Dictionary definition reads: Any of a number of places that a person visits in succession.

6) Greenwich

It’s only a half an hour drive from our place and Lyn and I both love it. If we were to ever win the lottery we would buy a little place here as a bolt hole. There are museums galore, top coffee shops, markets, bookstores, a great pie and mash shop AND THE CUTTY SARK! We visit a few times every year and I will always walk along the water towards the CUTTY Sark and just stare at it. In 2007, on a whim, I drove down to look at it as the sun set set. In the morning when I woke up and switched on the news it was ablaze. Nothing to do with me I swear.

7) Cambodia

I’ve only been to Sihanoukville. It’s poor, dirty but bustling with friendly folk and even home to another top ten coffee shop of mine. It made it’s way on to this list because although it’s difficult now to say I loved the place I find myself desperate to go back for a longer time and explore it properly. It’s on my top ten list because it is my list so I get to make up the rules.

8) Christchurch

I adore New Zealand. If I had compiled this list in 2023 I’d be writing about Dunedin now but since then I have had maybe as many as ten days in Christchurch, often one offs as part of a cruise but on two occasions I’ve stayed there for three and four nights. The spirit of the people blows me away. After the heartache of a city destroying earthquake back in 201, the locals just brushed themselves down and rebuilt Leaving nods to the past while creating a city I cannot wait to get back too. A major highlight is the Cardboard Cathedral.

9) New York New York.

New York City has to be on this list and for one over whelming reason. No, make that two. Dad for one, and the memories we created whenever we visited. The much anticipated book about our relationship (I am writing this blog so can describe That Bloody Book whatever I want) includes a chapter on this great city. Dad loved five things: family, comedy, books, music and NYC!

10) The Next New Place

I could have added places and made the list a Top 20! I have missed off some clear favourites and some might think I have wasted number 10. But it should be here so it is. The next new place will be an adventure and always going to be a favourite however temporary that might be.