Dockside Serenades When Cruise Ships Arrive in Port

An Istanbul Welcome

Brass bands, ethnic dancers, school choirs, bagpipes, drummers.....who have you been serenaded by as your ship docks? I love this part of arrival in a new port. The music really adds a bit of life to a dockside scene and gets me interested in finding out more about the port and the people.

Here is a photo gallery of some of my favourites.

Istanbul, Turkey

Lifou, Loyalty Islands, South Pacific

Noumea, New Caledonia

Savusavu, Fiji

Burnie, Tasmania, Australia

Port Klang, Malaysia

I hope these photos remind you of some interesting port arrivals on your cruises. Here's to many more!

The March of the Tiramisu

Tiramisu dessert on our MSC cruise

If you've cruised before you have probably experienced one night on board, at dinner time, the Parade of the Baked Alaska. Uniformed waiters march in a long line through the restaurant, each carrying a plate displaying a magnificent Baked Alaska dessert. Sponge, icecream and meringue lit by a blazing candle. It is quite spectacular.
   On our MSC cruise on Sinfonia, we were very much amused one night at dinner when the waiters, wearing sashes the colours of the Italian flag, paraded round the dining tables carrying platters of that divine dessert, Tiramisu. Coffee, sponge biscuits, liqueur and chocolate - yum!
  

Passengers enjoying the March of the Tiramisu

The passengers really got into the festive mood, swirling their linen napkins round their heads and singing, at the top of their voices, that rousing Italian song, 'Volare'.
  Such fun and such a delicious end to the meal.

A Mystery in Palma de Mallorca

An unusual souvenir in Palma

Can anyone solve this mystery for me? In Palma de Mallorca, in a souvenir shop, in amongst children's flamenco outfits, items made with shells and assorted ceramics painted with red coral designs, was this stand. 
   Australian Aboriginal boomerangs decorated with traditional dotted designs!!
   Why? We're a long way from Aussie in the Mediterranean!
   Why would a Spanish island have these for sale? Is there a link between the two countries I don't know about? 
   Or did the souvenir buyer for the store like the look of them, think,'Oh, we'll just paint Mallorca on them & put them out in the shop.'
  A mystery indeed. I'd love to know the answer.