Raina's Blogging again - Navigator, Harmony Anthem

[finz2u]

How are you taking these amazing photos? Really enjoying them.

 

Safe travels and happy sails.

[AussieVisi2r]

Lisbon, Portugal. 4th Oct.

The Jerónimos Monastery and the Church of Santa Maria – a monastery for the Order of Saint Jermome. It’s a super example of the Portuguese Late Gothic Manueline style of architecture. It’s A UNESCO World Heritage Site.

 

 

 

 

The building was historically associated with sailors and explores. This is where Vasco De Gama headed off from – when he was the first European to find India. Heaps of the carvings have nautical themes with ropes and sea creatures in them.

 

 

 

 

The monastery and church started in 1501 and took 100 years to finish.

The 1755 earthquake destroyed most of Lisbon, but the Monastery and church survived.

It’s one of the most decorative churches in Portugal and the place is huge. I mean HUGE and pretty damn impressive.

 

Absolutely amazing.

[AussieVisi2r]

Lisbon, Portugal. 4th Oct.

Then inland to Sintra is a small resort town about an hour from Lisbon, in the Sintra Mountains. It had been a favourite sanctuary for the royals for a very long time. It was a beautiful little town with the many twisting alleys and tourist shops.

 

 

 

I was walking up one lane,and saw one of the local delicacies....Shots for breakfast. Cherry Port Wine, in a chocolate cup. Why would you not? 1 Euro. And it was glorious. I could have sat down and had a few more. But at 19% I thought I had better not.

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Lisbon, Portugal. 4th Oct.

We then drove up the mountain. It asn't that high in sea level....but must have been on low ground as it was a steep twisty climb up.

At the top of the heavily forested hill is the Pena National Palace.

 

 

Also on the hill top is ruin of The Castle of the Moors, built in the 9th century by the North African Moors. But fell into ruins after the Christians …basically killed all of the Moors.

 

 

The Pena Palace was started in the Middle Ages as a chapel dedicated to Our Lady of Pena. King Manuel 1 decided to build a monastery here for the Order of Saint Jerome. It was a quiet secluded spot for centuries. In the 1700’s the monastery was damaged by lighting then flattened by the 1755 earthquake. The chapel survived. Young Prince Ferdinand was fascinated by the place with the ruins and an ancient Castle of the Moors and ‘acquired the lands’. Later the then King Ferdinand set out to have the new castle built – he used a German architect but also wanted vault arches, Medieval and Islamic elements.

It was completed by around 1850.

The government took control after the Republican Revolution. Queen Amelia spent her last night here before fleeing the country in exile.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Lisbon, Portugal. 4th Oct.

 

 

 

King Ferdinand was also fascinated in the new technique of ceramic tiles. He used them extensively and much of the building is clad in tiles. It then became a fashion – of course – and much of Lisbon is tile clad. The glaze method was very basic, so the tiles have raided edges to stop colours bleeding into each other during firing.

 

 

 

Ferdinand loved his tiles so much he ‘collected them’ aka pillages them, from around the world and built courtyards with his collections.

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Lisbon, Portugal. 4th Oct.

The inside was just as fascinating and eclectic.

 

 

 

This is made of Abalone/Mother of Pearl shells and paper mache.

 

 

It was really interesting coming form the old side of the palace (the monastery half) to the new half and seeing how the room size and height increased.

 

 

 

[SenatorsFan]

I'm awed by your beautiful photos and am enjoying the little tidbits of history you include, too. I look forward to following along on your journey. :)

Heather

[AussieVisi2r]

Lisbon, Portugal. 4th Oct.

 

 

 

 

 

 

This is all a flat painting with forced perspective. It really looked like corridors running off the room - to make it look bigger.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

Lisbon, Portugal. 4th Oct.

Then to a beach resort town – Cascais. It was a quiet fishing village, until the Royals made it ‘their’ beach town and moved in each October. Very pretty.

 

 

 

 

I ate Whole Sardines – the classic local dish. Apparently the bigger and fatter the better.

 

 

They looked awesome and certainly were very plump.

They tasted good – the skin was SO crisp and crunchy. Till I realised you ate them scales and all. And when I noticed much of the meat was black – and they were certainly plump…..I realised they were not gutted. They were in fact – Whole Sardines – fat and plump.

 

Then a drive back to Lisbon.

The Aquaduct - survived the earthquake.

 

 

And the bridge - (through the window terrible shot).Lisbon's own Golden Gate bridge. Designed by the guy who did the real one in San Francisco.

Edited October 5, 2016 by AussieVisi2r

[AussieVisi2r]

They then took us for another drive around Lisbon - including showing us the way from the centre of town back to the ship.

 

 

 

This is made by chipping away render.

 

 

After the drive we had the opportunity to get out and take photos and look around, then to go back to the ship or to get off here. Great way to finish.

Good day.

And Sail away was lovely. Although it was hard staying up until 10pm!

 

 

Lisbon even has it’s own version of Christ the Redeemer – from Rio. And facing the one in Rio – not into the city.

 

 

5th Oct – At Sea.

The sea is so flat. Not sure why the captain is sounding the fog horn every 15 minutes?

Trivia, lunch with a great guy from Cruise Director staff. Fun day!

Rest and relaxation – because tomorrow is Morocco!!!!!!!

[springaussie]

Keep the good review up Raina!

Thanks

 

 

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[AussieVisi2r]

Again thanks for the lovely comments.

 

I'm using a Canon EOS D7 - for whoever asked.

 

I have started to take some menu photos...but the word is they are basically the same with a from English additions. I'll get back to you with that.

 

Navigator is good. I am liking it more then I thought I would. I didn't love Voyager...but that was a three night Booze Cruise so they are never much fun.

 

And I have almost learn my way back to my room. I'm in 3009. An inside. I do think that this is the worst position of any room on any ship I have been in.

Reason being as you cannot just get there. There is an up and a down involved due to the ice rink. As well as that it is an internal inside.....a few corridors inside the main corridors. But I am learning! I am getting there.

 

But the internet is working well - even in my rabbit warren room. I got the basic level. $12.99 a day - special on boarding day. I'm watching Netflix on it! Sometimes a big of lag but not often.

 

Raina

[play66]

Great reviews. I'm on at the end of the month and you have given me some great tips. Thank you and keep on blogging 😉

[gaechann]

Thanks for all the information along with the great photos - as always!

Gae

 

 

Sent from my iPad using Forums

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

 

We ported in Agidar and by 8am was lining up for my ships tour to the ancient and artisan centre – Marrakesh. It was about 250 ks but so much to see.

Flat, dry and brown, or red, or pink, or orange. The soil is full of oxides so changes dramatically. Adobe (mud and straw) houses are the colour of the area.

 

 

Some parts were incredibly arid, other with many Argon trees. There are the ones the goats climb when there is no feed around.

 

 

 

 

We stopped at a petrol station – 7 buses and three toilets. And a 15 minute stop. After 20 minutes, when the mens line had finished I lead a mutiny and we took over the mens as well.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

 

 

The Berber villages were so pretty. All traditional – apart from power lines and satellite dishes.

 

 

 

 

 

Of course it all changed as we got closer to town.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

 

 

Once we got to Marrakesh the touristing began.

The Koutoubia Mosque and a stroll up the park. 70 m tall and mandated as the tallest building allowed. It was built in 1162. When it was first built, the muezzin – the guys that climbs up five times a day to do the call to pray – had to be blinded as the minaret overlooked the harem.

 

 

 

The people selling things were out in force and very persistent. But as my hat had committed holiday suicide and jumped ship (well bus) back in Hong Kong I was in need of a hat. So I bought one. Took me about 5 hours to realize why the sellers everywhere we went seemed to be even more aggressive and targeted me more then others. It was because I had a sign on my hat saying Marrakesh, or in local speak “this fool buys tourist things”.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

Medersa Ben Youssef was built in 1565 and was the largest theological college in Morocco. It had residential rooms for out of town students and the quality of their room was based on grades – and changed each semester.

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

Bahia Palace was built in the 19th century as a residents for the Sultan's adviser in the south. It was a copy of his palace and housed the Harem. It is described as a ‘Peacock’ of a palace and had amazing tile and wood work.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The ceilings are cedar, and the wood is coloured using spices – Tarragon, saffron, cinnamon etc.

 

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

 

Medina Souks are a rabbit warren of alley ways and shops. Fantastic! As well as thousands of locals and thousands of tourists and hundreds of shops, and narrow alley ways – Motor bikes, push bikes, quad bikes and things with big trailers, hand carts and a few donkey carts, roar up and down. Fast. Bumping people out of the way. Amazing.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

The main square – Djemaa El Fna – was mental. Many stalls for locals, but very much a tourist area.

 

 

Snake Charmers – no wonder the snake rises up when they play their music. Poor snakes are put in buckets of water. There was a big show with many people watching. As soon as you had a good look they chased you for money!

 

 

 

And guys with Monkeys. When I said no I didn’t want to pay for a photo and walked away, one throw a monkey at my head. Poor monkey clambers up and posed for the photo – but i kept walking – wearing a monkey as a hat. Do wish I had the photo. I quite liked my Monkey Hat.

 

 

 

Edited October 7, 2016 by AussieVisi2r

[AussieVisi2r]

6th Oct. Marrakesh, Morocco.

The life of the donkeys looks hard. They are tiny and cart their loads with no trouble…..but then spend a full day, harness up outside the stall waiting to take it all home again. And I did see some in a paddock – wearing their full harness. Just needed to be caught the next morning and backed into the shafts.

 

 

 

 

Then the trip back. Lots of people bringing their goats in for the night. And the overloaded trucks started after dark. Hay loads twice the height of the truck and extending well over the cabin and out the back. We did see a number of police blocks. They were targeting overloading today!

 

 

 

 

We got back to the ship at 9.30. 13 1/2 hour tour. Huge day out. But awesome. Rushed but amazing – everything was doe at a jog! Our two buses pulled in…and away went the ship. They even kept the Windjammer open late for us.

 

And today was a momentous occasion.

My 7th continent ON A CRUISE SHIP! I think that is pretty cool.

[laurieal]

Your pictures are beautiful!

 

Thank you for taking some of your vacation to share your adventure with us. I'm really enjoying following them, and I'm hoping I'll make a background in one of your Harmony pics [emoji6]

[Wildcatfish]

Congrats on the 7th continent achievement! Life is an adventure.