crystal cruises, crystal serenity, malaga

From the Port of Malaga, Spain

After a very relaxing day at sea, we've arrived in Malaga, our last port before leaving the Mediterranean Sea on our way westward. Malaga is on the Costa del Sol, about 60 miles east of Gibraltar and only 80 miles from the north coast of Africa. We're alongside and the ship has been cleared shortly after 8am. We work for a few hours and enjoy a quick lunch onboard before disembarking. The port is undergoing major renovations and we're glad to use the Crystal provided shuttle that takes us through the construction zones to the main entrance from the port. From here, all of the major sites are easily walkable including the Picasso Museum, the dominating Castle of Gibralfaro, and the church of Santiago which was built on the site of an old mosque.

After wandering through the winding cobblestone streets, enjoying a few street markets and outdoor cafes we're headed back to the ship by about 4pm. We sail at 6pm for Cadiz, Spain. At about midnight, we're out on the balcony when the ship passes through the Straits of Gibraltar. From here the lights of both the European continent and the African continent are easily visible. We've now entered the Atlantic Ocean. More tomorrow from Cadiz and Sevilla.