Marisol, the author of The Lady, the Chef and the Courtesan, a sensual, romantic novel that comes complete with recipes, has left landlocked Denver for a stint as a celebrity chef. She's sending daily missives from her temporary home: a cruise ship.

Cadiz, Spain:

Cadiz is the oldest city in Europe, according to a sign on a statue in the main plaza, which says this was the original seat of the Spanish government -- in 1260. I wonder if the date is wrong. I mean, there have been wars, earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, etc. But the date is chiseled in white marble that has survived all these centuries…

What comes to mind after I pass the statue is this: I need a manicure. The girls in Cadiz must get manicures, so I walk in search of a place to get this done. Not too far from that statue, next to another 800-year-old building, I find a super-modern little place painted in bright reds and greens. like a teenager’s room. The sign on the door reads: “Manicurista disponible. Sin cita.” No appointment is necessary -- fantastic.

My hands are fried from all the cooking, chopping and soaking. Life at sea!

All over Europe they have this Purell gel to fight germs. The manicurist produces a jar of it and says, “Rub it on your hands.”

Yuk. -- Marisol.