Lirio

Very busy work in Brasilia but I manage to take a photo of the cathedral. maybe next time I will take some more. 

While in the field visit....

20 hours ago, Host Jazzbeau said:

I did a paper on Brasilia in a course called Cultural Geography back in the day – thankfully at a time when there were still high hopes for its success.  My understanding is that it never lived up to the promises, as the politicians spend as little time as possible there and consequently the general population never saw a reason to move there.  Kind of like creating a new Albany, NY [sorry JP, that's how we 'downstaters' see it...]

Currently Brasilia has 3 million inhabitants.

I will be on the Spirit on August 9 starting in Venice. We will stay at an Accor hotel - Hotel Papadopoli Venezia - MGallery.

In Brasilia for a business trip.

Brasilia is the federal capital, located in the middle of the country. It was built in the late 1950’s and inaugurated in 1960 when the capital moved from Rio de Janeiro to Brasilia.

It was designed by two architects Oscar Niemeyer and Lucio Costa.

Below two photos from the hotel roof top. The TV tower and the soccer stadium.

2 hours ago, drron29 said:

 

So in the main square there were not only Roman ruins and churches but that day an International Charity run day. So the old town was really crowded. Talking to other groups their guide used this as an excuse to cut short the tour saying there were road closures plus the promenade was being used for the run. Not our guide there was a lot more that he wanted to show us. Besides it was still 3 hours until the run started.

 

What´s your guide name? I will be in Zatar as well next August....

7 hours ago, drron29 said:

We will always book another excursion when our initial choice is waitlisted.

That said we have rarely had a waitlisted excursion when the waitlisted one hasn’t cleared. 
Simple excursions such as walking around an old town often have extra trips added. For example on my tour in Trieste initially there were 3 times to pick from. On the day there were 10 different times.

 

However when you know you are not going to take a tour please let them know. I have sat on too many buses waiting for booked passengers to arrive when they were aware they were not going.

Any suggestion for Trieste? 

3 minutes ago, drron29 said:

 

We are considering this tour for next August as well. Can you swim in the falls?

15 hours ago, QueSeraSera said:

We spent a long weekend in Atlanta for my 50th college reunion.  Wish I could take pictures like JP, Terry and many of you other coolers can.  But here are two.

 

Found this place as we were walking around Sunday morning.

 

Really wanted to stay until they opened, but my better half reminded me there were activities elsewhere to be attended.

 

One of the best meals I had there was Chicken Milanese.  I don't think I ever had it before, but now I will seek it out.  This version by the Atrium Restaurant at Ponce City Market.

 

Then, a third pic I hadn't really intended to post, at the very bottom, is me in front of the dormitory I lived in for two years.

 

 

Atlanta is a great city to visit - don't let these pictures deter you from visiting there someday 

Atlanta was my hub for several years (Delta used to fly from Rio directly to ATL) and I always had a couple of days there. Love the Botanical Garden, the Aquarium, the Zoo (where I could see Pandas) as well as Dr. King Center and many other historical buildings. Great city!

1 hour ago, drron29 said:

 

Every so often they have  little cafe for a rest and sustenance.

 

Thank you. I will be in The Spirit next August visiting Croatian ports and your report gives some insites. Any restaurant recomendation in Dubrovnik?

I was considering a holiday cruise on Odyssey. Now I am concerned about the ship. Anyone has cruise at her recently or is going to cruise soon?

Today I visited a conservation area a 1.5-hour drive from Rio de Janeiro to see the Golden Lion tamarin. This an endangered animal that lives only in the woods (Mata Atlantica) of Rio de Janeiro state.

By 1970´s, only 200 of them was found in the area. The population was driven to such low amount due to deforestation and hunting. A conservation program was established and now 2,500 individuals can be found in the wild. Due to such increase in the number of Golden Lion tamarin, we can visit the protected area on weekends since mid-2022 (only 60 people each day with guided visit, no free wandering around).

This is the first time I have such a lovely encounter.

6 hours ago, mysty said:

 

Thank you Turtle!  The menu looks amazing!  

https://ahirestaurant.co.nz/menu/

 

I went to Ahi last June when I was in Auckland. I liked it.

On 4/19/2023 at 5:21 PM, turtlemichael said:

Go to Reception and they will organize it. You cannot use credits you have on your account. You need to put in real money (in our case via credit card). I think that there must be some sort of list in the crew quarters as we have always been thanked by crew members.

We have the same experience; we donate at the reception and after that the crew members thank us

On 1/3/2023 at 9:47 PM, IWantToLiveOverTheSea said:

If anyone wants to go to a somewhat unknown but beautiful place in Lisbon, I found this when I was in Lisbon in 2014: Palacio Fronteira near the Parque Florestal de Monsanto.  It was built as a manor house’s hunting pavilion for 1st Marques de Fronteira 1640. I was one of only two people there when I went to the gardens. It was quite beautiful.  For my visit this spring to Lisbon after a cruise, I'm trying out the On/Set Cinema Apartments in Alfama.  In Porto, I'm hoping to ride the Gundais Funicular from the Ribeira waterfront up to the top part of Porto.  I'm really excited about visiting Lisbon again, and maybe even more excited about visiting Porto (with a day in Portimao, too, Algrave). 

I visited Palacio fronteira in 2019 and I liked very much. I do recomend.

And the rest of your trip as well. It seems you had a wonderful trip with Viking as well.

On 3/8/2023 at 11:34 PM, TayanaLorna said:

It was absolutely fantastic.  On our way home now.  Missed connection in Miami due to delay in Brazil.  Will write a lengthy review once home and recovered.

Where can I find your review?

I will be in this area in August, looking forward to your conclusions and visit.

1 hour ago, mysty said:

 

Awesome Lirio!  Maybe the universe will conspire to allow our paths to cross.  😁

Our plan is to stay on NZ in Jan and Feb (where my daughter lives). I will let you know as soon as we issue our tickets (by june or july).

36 minutes ago, mysty said:

 

March 8-9th.  However we are in the New Zealand area February 9-19th.   And then Sydney and up the east coast.

It is very likelly I will be in NZ by february. 

1 minute ago, drron29 said:

Just have to wait. In May we are doing all of those except Opatija but also Sarande, Bari, Kotor, Ravenna and Piran. All on the Moon.

I am on the Spirit. Waiting for your comments.

Any recomendation of what to see and do in Trieste in August is welcomed. 

Preparing my next cruise. Any recomendation for the ports of call: Trieste, Zadar, HVAR, Dubrovnik, Split, Opatija?

Any recomendation is welcomed.

8 hours ago, Daveywavey70 said:

Just beautiful Lirio. Which is the small city? South America is possibly my trip for next Jan so I’m looking up options right now!

It is a remote area in the amazon, not a place to tourism. Should you be interested in Amazon, Manaus ie the main city.

On a business trip to the Amazon region. First the river encounter where Rio Negro (black river is clear water) meets the Solimoes river (mud water) and keeps flowing together for several kms.

Second the flooded forest which stay under water on the raining season.

A historical house in a small city.

Sunset in the amazon river.