Mediterranean Spring from the Seabourn Spirit

Our first afternoon on board was spent acquainting ourselves with this very small ship. This really didn't take all that long as the Spirit holds only 200 passengers and has just a handful of public venues, all intimate and with a clubby atmosphere. You can go from one end of the ship to the other in two minutes flat. We had drinks and a nice dinner but fatigue promptly took over and we surrendered going to bed at the most uncivilized hour of 10 pm.

Day 2 was a day at sea, the highlight of which was a facial appointment mid-afternoon; honesly THE BEST FACIAL I've ever had. Left the spa all "aglow" and rejuvenated and as it was formal night and we got all dressed up. We twirled around the dance floor in the Amundsen Lounge for a while and had a toast to our good fortune.

We had a great dinner with newly made friends Julia and Chuck; the food was outstanding, the drinks flowed freely and the company was entertaining. I had a veal carpaccio expertly done and subtly dressed, followed by a a delightfully light gnocci primavera, tender lobster tail on a delicate herbed rissotto for the main and a sinfully fluffy whisky and honey souffle. Blake had a similarly delicious meal. We were having such a great time that we didn't realize we had missed the late show altogether and we had closed the restaurant. By the way, the service has so far been nothing less than great.

As this is such a small ship we find ourselves closer to the water level than we've ever been. We went to bed with the curtains wide open, a full moon hanging low over the horizon, casting its perfect, silvery reflection on the ocean, all the way to our window.

Today we awoke to an old fortress wall at the entrance of Mahon, Menorca. We chose to see the island on our own and hired a taxi to take us around. It was the best decision ever. Our taxi driver Alfredo took us on a six hour tour of the island, proudly - and engagingly - filling us in on its history, the challenges its main industries are facing as it fights to remain commercially competitive, its language the Menorquin (a Catalan dialect) and many other bits and pieces of information. He took us from Mahon to Fornells where we explored this enchanting fishing village at leisure, stopping at a bakery for an "ensaimada", a yummy flat brioche bun covered in powder sugar, and contributing to the local economy with few "strategic" purchases. Fornells (pronounced Forneys) is an enchanting old village ensconced within a protected bay of emerald and turquoise waters. With its whitewashed houses - none taller than two stories high, the green shutters and red tile roofs, the old fortress tower guarding the entrance; you just want to stick around for a while.

We then drove to the top of Monte Toro, the highest (and the only) mountain on the island, from where you can see all of Menorca and, on a clear day like today, all the way to Mallorca, its bigger, touristy, better known sister. The Ciudadela was next; at its core the old historic town centre or "casco" with magnificent limestone buildings and quaint restaurants and shops. Alfredo took us to the "Molino del Rincon" for lunch. We ordered a beautiful tortilla de patatas and lechon and enjoyed a glass of rioja tinto and cold beer.

It was then back to Mahon, just as beautiful, clean and charming, for a bit more shopping and back on board. Sail away was bittersweet; Menorca represents all that's best about Spain; it is clean as a whistle, there is no crime, its people are welcoming and warm and the countryside and towns are remarkably beautiful. I could spend a few weeks here some day.

I haven't said much about the ship yet - there is not a whole lot to tell; it is small and getting long in the tooth. Seabourn seems to be spending its dollars on the new bigger ships and not too much on the little ones. The cabins in particular are worn-out and in need of fresh finishings (Blake says I'm sugarcoating this). So far the food has been first rate in the dining room, less than spectacular elsewhere on board. Service is very good.

Today we're cruising the Strait of Boniface (between the islands of Corsica and Sardinia) on our way to Naples.