A parade of boats in Sotogrande during the July festival in honor of Carmen, the patron saint of sailors. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Docked in Sotogrande and a sea of resort developments on the Costa del Sol in southern Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View toward the beach and small town of Torreguardiara from Sotogrande, a resort development where the marina is located. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View to the southwest of the Pillars of Hercules from Sotogrande — quite a sight to see Europe and Africa on a clear day. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A few days later, we dressed Gyatso with Tibetan prayer flags to celebrate being re-launched and to honor an auspicious day in the Tibetan calendar while docked in Estepona. Credit: Lisa Borre.
David studies the cruising guide while we motor in calm weather along the Costa del Sol in Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View of the Costa del Sol in Spain on a hazy day. Brown Saharan dust is the likely cause. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A Roman mosaic on display at the museum in Malaga. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A break for tapas and sangria in Malaga, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View from the Alcazaba of the port in Malaga which has been in use since Phoenician times. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A visit to the Alcazaba in Malaga, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Remains of Roman and Phoenician settlements were found under the road and the Picasso Museum in Malaga. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A Roman theatre was uncovered at the base of Alcazaba castle. Current archeological excavations are ongoing. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Part of the collection of Pheonician and Roman objects at the archeological museum in Almunecar. A beautiful Egyptian vase from the 15th Century BC was also on display here. Credit: Lisa Borre.
The small, rocky promontory in the foreground provided enough protection for this to serve as a trading port thousands of years ago. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Fish salting tanks from the 4th and 5th Centuries A.D. used to make garum, a Roman delicacy, in Almunecar. We later found the recipe for garum in Cartagena. Credit: Lisa Borre.
We visited Almunecar, known in Phoenician and Roman times as “Ex” or “Sexi” from the Marina del Este, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View from the Castillo Arabe de San Miguel in Almunecar. Credit: Lisa Borre.
David at the entrance to the small, but informative archeological museum in Almunecar, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A Phoenician archeological site in Adra is currently being studied, but at the moment, sits with little protection underneath a greenhouse operation. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Tourism is an afterthought in Adra, as can be seen by the trash floating among the boats at the Club Nautico. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Adra, Spain is a busy fishing harbor. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A selection of wines that we purchased in plastic jugs and two bottles that were a gift from local yachtsman at the Real Club Nautico in Adra. Credit: Lisa Borre.
David samples a vino tinto (red wine) from the Iberian ham and wine shop in town. Local wines are dispensed into “recycled” water bottles. Credit: Lisa Borre.
We stopped at the small fishing port of Adra and stayed at the Real Club Nautico which made room for us. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Almerimar is a huge, purpose-built marina that is popular among cruisers. We were the only American boat among 1,000 at the marina — not sure what message they were trying to send when they put us next to this abandoned wreck! Credit: Lisa Borre.
Lisa produced this meal of Moroccan-style chicken from the remains of fresh food in the fridge. Even she admitted that it was delicious! Credit: Lisa Borre.
The crowded beach next the marina at Benalmadena. We read in the paper that this beach was evacuated a few days later due to terrorist threats. Credit: Lisa Borre.
The huge marina at Benalmadena looking north at the canal to the inner harbor. Credit: Lisa Borre.
We could see this Buddhist stupa while sailing into Benalmadena. The tourist office directed us toward the appropriate bus route to visit it and the nice little town of Benalmadena Pueblo – a glimpse at the pre-resort character of this coastline. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View of the latest development projects on the Spanish coast from the Enlightenment Stupa. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Even the local tourist train made regular passes by us. In this photo, Lisa turned the camera on them and received many waves. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A Phoenician amphora on display at the archeological museum in Benalmadena, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Gyatso tied to the canal wall into the inner harbor in Benalmadena. In Spain, we quickly realized that visiting yachts are part of the tourist attactions at the resorts. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Costa Blanca
View from Gyatso at anchor in Aguilas, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
We admired this fishing boat which was in use as a family pick-nick boat for a national holiday while we were at anchor in Aguilas, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Like many other tourists, we posed for a photo in front of the submarine designed by Isaac Peral in 1884 which is now on display as a sculpture in Cartagena.
Lisa, and her ever-present backpack, falls into step in Cartagena.
The large, natural harbor in Cartagena has been used since Phoenician times.
The canoe stern of Gyatso (at left) berthed on the outer pontoon in Cartagena, Spain.
A Roman theatre was found in 1990 near the Castillo de la Concepción and is now open to the public along with a great museum and park.
David studies the remains of a ancient Punic Wall on display in a well-done museum about it in Cartagena. Credit: Lisa Borre.
We took a break from archeological sites to devour this wonderful pizza at La Tagliatella, an Italian restaurant in Cartagena.
A monument in honor of Hasdrubal, the Carthaginian general who founded Cartagena as “Qart Hadast” in 227 BC.
A stone archway into the Roman theatre in Cartagena, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
The dome of Palacio de Aguirre, part of the interesting architectural mix of Cartagena.
One of the narrow streets opened-up with the discovery of a Roman theatre which is still being excavated on the left side of this photo. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Part of one of the old Roman roads uncovered in Cartagena. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Sailing along the Costa Blanca in Mediterranean Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Lisa removes a bottle of acetone from the cup holder on the binacle before mistaking it for drinking water while underway on the Costa Blanca.
We had a great view of Peñan de Ifach from the cockpit of Gyatso. Credit: Lisa Borre.
The sunrise reflecting on Cabo Moraira as we depart for the crossing to the Balearics. Photo: Lisa Borre.
Balearic Islands
Calm crossing to Ibiza in the Balearic Islands. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Islas Bledas and the larger Isla Conejera as seen on the approach to Ibiza, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Islas Vedra and Vedraneli on the southwest coast of Ibiza, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Cala Horts, one of the many beautiful calas on Ibiza, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
An old fishing port near the Phoenician archelogical site near Sa Caletta. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Remains of a Phoenician settlement on Ibiza. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Sa Caleta on the southern coast of Ibiza where we had lunch at a beachfront restaurant. Credit: Lisa Borre.
For starters at the beachfront restaurant, we had baby hearts of romaine from Tudela, Spain, the place where the “Borre” family name originates. Credit: Lisa Borre.
The main course was the restaurant’s special paella (seafood rice). Credit: Lisa Borre.
Even the Ibizan wine served in Sa Caleta depicts a Phoenician ship on its label. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Statue images of Tanit, a god worshipped by the Phoenicians, from the necropolis in Ibiza city. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View of the harbor in Ibiza. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A portion of the large necropolis found in Ibiza. Credit: Lisa Borre.
David ventures below ground at the Phoenician necropolis and museum in Ibiza.
Gyatso at anchor in Puerto de San Miguel on Ibiza. This was the last time we used the sun awning this season, as the weather was noticeably cooler by the time we reached Minorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
We went for dinner aboard the blue yacht anchored behind us — can you guess which one? Credit: Lisa Borre.
Puerto de Andraitx, Mallorca, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Local sailing boats, Andraitx. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Local boats in Andraitx. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Local boats tied up along a small river in Andraitx. Credit: Lisa Borre.
We took the tourist train to Soller, Mallorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Train station in Soller, one of the oldest in the world according to their tourist brochures. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A dog watches us walk by from this second story window in Soller. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Typical stone building in Soller. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View of Soller on a hazy day from an overlook along the tourist train route. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Lighthouse at the entrance of Puerto Colom, Mallorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Rafted up in Puerto de Cala Ratjada (s/y Gyatso is second from right). Credit: Lisa Borre.
Looking back toward Cabo de Pera, Mallorca, during the crossing to Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Local fishing boats in Balearic Islands, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View from the visitor’s quay which is no longer in use in Puerto de Ciutadella, Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
The historic harbor area in Ciutadella, Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Fishing nets piled on the commercial quay in Ciutadella. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Looking southwest down the long, narrow cala at Puerto de Ciutadella. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Ciutadella, Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Busy square in Ciutadella, Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Olive trees in Ciutadella. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Stone walls on Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
The protected “lagoon” at Fornells, Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View of the north coast of Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Lighthouse on Cap de Cavalleria, Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Tiny cala near Cap de Cavalleria, Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
View to the north from Monte de Toro. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Limestone quarries near Ciutadella, Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Typical wooden gate on Menorca. Credit: Lisa Borre.
Bronze Age monument at Naveta des Tudons, Menorca, Spain. Credit: Lisa Borre.
The monument is shaped like the over-turned hull of a ship. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A shrine for religious ceremonies in Talayotic town at Trepucó. Credit: Lisa Borre.
A cruise ship passes behind us while moored in Mahon, the city that gave mayonnaise its name. Credit: Lisa Borre.