Traveling Disers are lost and adrift somewhere?

[edcrbnsoul]

Uh-oh Morning sick?

We had special stabilizers installed on board

 

[castlegazer]

Originally posted by castlegazer
Holy cow Ed (insert stronger explative please)! Yeah, I think we will need a larger boat if we are going to do these Transatlantic passages!

Hey, Look what's off our bow!

No, NOT MORNING SICKNESS! Small craft sickness out in the Atlantic Ocean! Get me onto our new "Yacht" pronto!

 

[goofy4tink]

Poor CG!!! But Ed....that is a very nice 'boat' you've found for us. I'll be quite happy in a smaller suite. I'm not traveling with anyone, so no big deal. Now that family members have stopped dying off, I can settle down to some serious cruisin'. So, are we boarding yet?? Please, can we? CG really needs to be on a 'big boat'!!!

 

[castlegazer]

My stomach is growling! Did we forget to transfer over the staff from the yacht?

Are we docked? EDDDDDDD? Come back from the porch/van in Alabama and get us headed in the right direction this morning!

 

[edcrbnsoul]

Sorry ladies: breakfast is served and welcome to Azores

 

[castlegazer]

Thanks for feeding us, I was about to head off to the galley myself, something we all don't want - trust me.

Since our fearless Captain is busy with a test this morning, here is a bit more about the Azores until he is able to return to head us off on a tour of these amazing islands.

The volcanic archipelago of the Azores is one of Portugal's best kept secrets. Like a fragment of Europe adrift in the Atlantic, the nine islands are spread across 645 kms somewhere between Lisbon and New York. The largest island, São Miguel, is most notable for its crater lakes, while the regional capital, Ponta Delgada has many fine 17th and 18th century Baroque churches. On the east side, the spa resort of Furnas is alive with steam vents, hot springs, boiling mud and other types of geothermal activity. To the south, Santa Maria Island was the first island to be discovered by Portuguese explorers in 1427. Featuring an abundance of coves and sandy beaches, it boasts a spectacular landscape and temperate year round climate. Visitors to Terceira Island will find the streets embroidered with enchanting manor houses and churches. Angra do Heroísmo, the capital, was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site in 1983. Faial Island is a regular meeting point for yachts and other vessels crossing the Atlantic. Its main town, Horta, has played host to streams of ships over the centuries. Graciosa Island is a peaceful retreat with windmills, manor houses and 16th century churches. Visitors have the chance to descend into a volcano and witness the bubbling sulphurous liquids below. Long, thin and mountainous, São Jorge Island is famous for its cheese and other dairy products, along with a rare collection of 17th century paintings. Besides being Europe's most westerly point, Flores Island is considered the most prettiest in the Azores. Its capital, Santa Cruz, has an interesting museum and several historic monuments. Rising to 2,350 metres, Pico Island is Portugal's highest peak, attracting climbers from all over the world. Lajes on the south coast is the region's main whale watching centre. Tiny Corvo Island to the north west is the blown top of a huge marine volcano known as Monte Gordo. Its main attraction is a green crater lake dotted with nine islets. one for each island in the Azores

 

[edcrbnsoul]

There are several excellent walks on the islands, much through unspoilt country, the people are friendly and crime virtually unheard of. Small villages with narrow streets are dotted along the coast and on the hillsides-tops and in almost every direction there are beautiful panoramas of the coastline and the blue Atlantic. At present there are still only a few hotels on the islands and tourism is in its infancy, it is still possible to walk on mountain paths without seeing other people. Many of the paths are not well marked and some older paths have become overgrown by the vigorous growing Himalayan ginger.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

There are lava tube caves on all the main islands (in particular Sao Miguel, Terceira, Graciosa and Pico) but the longest and the best developed for visitors is the Gruta das Torres on Pico which is over 5km. long in the Cabeco Bravo area (about 10 minutes drive from Madalena).

There will be a visitors centre at the entrance to the cave (to be completed by June 2004). The steps down to the cave floor have already been constructed using natural local shaped blocks of lava and soon some extra blocks will be used to improve the floor is in a few rougher places. The concept at all times will be to minimise human impact in the cave and preserve it virtually as it is.

The temperature in the caves is 14°C all the year round and they are basically dry and clean but during prolonged periods of heavy rain there will be drips coming down from the ceiling in a few places. Waterproofs are generally not necessary. Helmets and powerful torches will be issued where necessary and only a few key area of the cave will be illuminated by fixed lighting

 

[suzannen]

Originally posted by castlegazer
No, NOT MORNING SICKNESS! Small craft sickness out in the Atlantic Ocean! Get me onto our new "Yacht" pronto!

Sorry, castlegazer, a lot of those waves was from my helicopter chasing you guys down so I could board at the next port. I'll tell my pilot to try to be more careful and not get so close next time!

New ship is nice, Ed. I particularly like that we now have a total crew of 210. That might be enough to keep us happy for a while. And the Azores look beautiful.

 

[castlegazer]

Sorry to starve you guys, but I have been looking, and looking, and I can not come up with a place for us to eat lunch at - good thing our chefs from the ship sent along doggy bags for us.

So, take your pick, you can go back and dine on the ship:

or dine here on our so called doggy bags:

Char-Grilled Asian-Marinated Flank Steak
Carved by a Uniformed Chef and Served with
Sweet Pepper Relish, Chili Mayonnaise,
and Crusty Rolls


Char-Grilled Paella Kebobs
with Chicken, Andouille Sausage and Prawns,
Served over Saffron Rice

Bowtie Pasta Salad
with Sliced Roma Tomato, Fresh Mozzarella and
Basil in our Garlic-Infused Olive Oil

California Garden Greens Salad
Baby Field Greens, Portobello Mushrooms
and White Asparagus, tossed in our
Homemade Balsamic Vinaigrette

Grilled Vegetable Display
with Eggplant, Asparagus, Red & Green Peppers,
Zucchini, Yellow Squash, Carrot and Jicama

Warm Cornbread Squares and Cheddar Chive Biscuits
with Ramekins of Butter

Fresh Berry Display
with Strawberries, Blueberries, and Raspberries

Warm Peach Berry Crisp
with New York Vanilla Ice Cream

Homemade Jumbo Chocolate Chip, Oatmeal Raisin
and English Toffee Cookies

 

[castlegazer]

OK everyone, set your VCRs - Erika finally has a date for the airing on the Travel Channel:

http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=606868&perpage=15&pagenumber=3

 

[edcrbnsoul]

I thought she was set adrift in the Pacific somewhere?

We havent seen her in ages.

 

[castlegazer]

I talk to her quite often over in Harry Potter land - she can only have one thread love at a time she tells me.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

I dont think I could spread myself much thinner on these boards, If I started in with the Harry Potter Crew I dont think this ship would ever get anywhere.

 

[castlegazer]

That would be why I like to remain the ever ellusive castlegazer - I then get to pop in on the Tagliarchy (If I could ever figure out which door to use), pop in on the Leaky Cauldron, pop in on my scrap swap buddies, and pop in on my actual real life friends whenever I get a moment and I don't have to keep up with a continual conversation - because if I tried to do that - I WOULD BE DONALD TRUMPED.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

My wife just started doing scrap booking, so dont be shocked if I ask you a question it will be coming from her.

 

[castlegazer]

Oh Man, lock up the vault!

I would suggest taking up golf just to make the hobby balance ledger even.

In all seriousness, just ask away if she needs any advice. My first advice would be to start with a simple concept of scrap booking like Creative Memories home parties - they're like Tupperware parties. They have the best supplies and equipment and style for a beginner. I actually need to reconnect to my CM beginnings as I get a little overwhelmed with the variety of stuff to put on pages - I have to remember that its about the pictures and journaling and not about some style award. I get so overwhelmed with what people are doing that I haven't really finished any of my albums and I really need to before the next child arrives. I am a very simple scrapper who likes to put as many pictures on a page as possible in as unique a way as possible as I don't see the point of scrapping one picture and putting enough crap around it to send your bank account into the zeroes. Yup, I'm a scrapping cynic - or a husband's friend type of scrapper as this way saves a lot of money.

 

[goofy4tink]

Maybe we should set aside a scrapbooking suite on our 'home ship'. I really need to get back to it. Just haven't had time. We could scrapbook, sail and eat. How could life be any better.

 

[edcrbnsoul]

While sleeping I had the Capt. set sail to Portugal, good morning everyone.

An independent kingdom since 1143, Portugal established its continental frontiers in 1297 and is one of the oldest nations in Europe.

Situated on the west side of the Iberian Peninsula, its geographic location along the Atlantic coast soon determined its vocation to the sea
The natural advantages of a sunny country with such diverse geographic features have turned Portugal into a chosen destination for many holidaymakers, an ideal place for practicing water sports and playing golf, offering modern tourism facilities, and quaint and personalized means of accommodation, such as ‘turismo de habitação’ (privately owned homes ranging from wonderful farmhouses to manor houses), ‘hotéis de charme’ or ‘pousadas’.

The Tower of Belem has guarded Lisbon's harbor since 1555. It symbolizes Lisbon's seafaring traditions and the Age of Discoveries. Tiny Portugal ruled as a colonial power for centuries

 

[castlegazer]

brrrzzzzzz - saw saw saw, pound pound pound

DONE!

Portugal!!!! Yeah - never been before!