Category Archives: Travel

Endearing Madeira

January 27, 2025 Tom Dills Leave a comment

Vineyards and mountain scenery outside Funchal. Island of Madeira, Portugal

The final stop – actually the only stop as it turned out – on our voyage from Barcelona back to Florida was a stop at the island of Madeira. I had heard of Madeira previously as the home for Madeira wine, a form of fortified wine similar to, but slightly different from, Port wine from Portugal. Madeira is actually a territory of Portugal, although the wine is a bit different, primarily in the type of alcohol used to fortify it.

The first thing that struck me about the island was how non-touristy it is. While there is a very nice port area for cruise ships, our tour of the island underscored that this is an island where people live and work, and while they appreciate the tourism industry and probably don’t mind a little more, things are pretty nice the way they are.

Barbusano Winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal

Upon leaving the main city of Funchal, we quickly entered the mountainous area that makes up the majority of the island. Grapes are grown literally everywhere. I’m not sure who they belong to or where they ultimately end up, but it is quite clear that wine is a very important crop on Madeira.

Remains of a Roman road in the town of Sao Vicente. Island of Madeira, Portugal

Town of Sao Vicente on the Island of Madeira, Portugal

Oceanfront near the town of Seixal. Island of Madeira, Portugal

Views from the Miradouro da Ribiera da Laje observation area. Near the town of Seixal on the island of Madeira, Portugal

View of the oceanfront near the town of Seixal. Island of Madeira, Portugal

Agua d’Alto Waterfall. Near the town of Seixal on the island of Madeira, Portugal

We booked a tour through Tours By Locals with a guide named Valdemar. He was very knowledgeable about the island and introduced us to many of the unique experiences to Madeira, including stops at a “regular” winery and a Madeira winery. We also stopped at a roadside restaurant for an authentic Madeiran meal, consisting of locally caught and freshly grilled fish. Afterward we made a stop at a local ‘Taberna’ for a taste of Poncha, a traditional local liquor made from rum and tropical fruits.

Taberna da Poncha. Island of Madeira, Portugal. Poncha is a traditional Madeiran drink.

We’re getting ready to head out again, so this will wrap up the “official” posts from our Portugal and Spain adventure. As a reminder, photos can be found on my Adobe Portfolio page from our entire trip.

Henriques & Henriques Madeira Wine winery. Island of Madeira, Portugal

I have to say, that of all the places we visited on our trip, the island of Madeira seemed like the kind of place where I could imagine being born there and living a simple life. I would have a hard time living there now, but there is a lot to like about the lifestyle, scenery and overall pace of living that appeals to me.

Travel

Scenes Of Barcelona: Parc Guell

January 20, 2025 Tom Dills 2 Comments

View from the Terrace of Parc Guell in Barcelona, Spain

Parc Guell (gWELL) is a private park system composed of gardens and architectural features designed by Antoni Gaudi, known famously for La Sagrada Familia but also recognized for his many buildings throughout Europe.

We didn’t get a lot of time to explore Parc Guell, so my photographs are exclusively of the upper gardens and terrace. We unfortunately did not have time to explore the lower gardens and the sculptures there. To be honest, we hadn’t researched the place enough to prioritize our visit. Next time! There are several buildings on the site that would have been interesting to explore. Some of them required separate entry tickets and all were very crowded, as the park is a heavily visited place.

“Where The Heck Am I?” Parc Guell in Barcelona, Spain

Basically “pick up your trash, don’t feed the rats.” Parc Guell in Barcelona, Spain

Travel

Scenes Of Barcelona: The Mercado de la Boqueria

January 16, 2025 Tom Dills 8 Comments

Mercado de la Boqueria. Barcelona, Spain

One of the places I really wanted to visit in Barcelona was the Mercado de la Boqueria or Boqueria Market. We visited on a busy Saturday afternoon and there was plenty to see and to photograph.

The hardest part was being patient and waiting to get a clear shot. There was something for everyone there, including a bar where you could just sit and have a drink. Fresh fish, produce, chocolate, wine & liquor, you name it. A ‘target rich environment; I called it!

I loved trying to capture all the colors and patterns, and occasionally get a good action shot.

Travel

Scenes Of Barcelona: La Sagrada Familia

January 14, 2025 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Towers of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

We spent 5 days in Barcelona and saw a lot of interesting things. I’m going to feature individual places over the next several posts to show some of the places we visited and things that we saw. My Adobe Portfolio page now has galleries through Barcelona, with one or two more to go. Head there to see many more photos from the entire trip.

Facade of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

I’ve heard many words to describe La Sagrada Familia, but one I don’t hear is ‘boring.’ It is literally a feast for the eyes, both inside and out.

Beautiful stained glass windows of La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

Soaring architectural columns and arches at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

It’s hard to make a bad photograph there, but it is equally hard to make a photograph that captures the scale and expanse of the space. It is amazingly huge and amazingly beautiful. Everywhere you look there are striking details and intricate designs. Symbolism is everywhere.

The biggest challenge is dealing with the crush of people. Even with timed entry, the place is crowded. I like to find spots where I can take symmetrical photographs, and I’m often not the only one! So patience and quick work is essential. This was one of the very few places on the entire trip that I wished I had brought a wider lens than 16mm. My 10-24 would have been appropriate.

Light through stained glass windows. La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

Workshop at La Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain

Travel

Viva Valencia!

January 6, 2025 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències in Valencia, Spain

We. Loved. Valencia

Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Valencia, Spain

Queen Sofia Palace of Arts. Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias (City of Arts and Sciences). Valencia, Spain

Porto was great and we would go back there in a heartbeat. But Valencia? It was probably one of the loveliest visits to a large city we’ve ever had. The people were friendly, the food was wonderful, the city is very walkable and the architecture is fascinating. It probably helped that we stayed in a beautiful hotel in the heart of the historic area that was staffed with friendly people, but the overall experience was just great.

CaixaForum València event center. Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Valencia, Spain

Prior to our arrival in Portugal, we were of course concerned about the condition of Valencia, given the horrible flooding they had experienced just a few weeks prior. Conversations with our hotel and our car service assured us that the damage was limited to areas south of the city center, and that the city itself was fine and up and running. We saw signs of the flood damage on our way into the city, but other than some cleanup happening at the City of Arts and Sciences (which might have just been routine cleaning) we saw no evidence of damage.

Oceanografic. The Aquarium complex at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Valencia, Spain

Dolphin Show at Oceanografic. The Aquarium complex at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Valencia, Spain

Submarino Restaurant at Oceanografic. The Aquarium complex at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Valencia, Spain

Jellyfish! Oceanografic. The Aquarium complex at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Valencia, Spain

The longest underwater tunnel in Europe. Oceanografic. The Aquarium complex at Ciudad de las Artes y las Ciencias. Valencia, Spain

Speaking of the City of Arts & Sciences, wow. It is an amazing collection of beautiful architecture, set along the Jardín del Turia, a park built in a former riverbed. We spent the large part of one day just wandering around the exterior, returning the following day to explore Oceanografic, the aquarium attraction that is part of the complex. To explore the entire museum complex would have been very interesting, but would have taken days! I’ve included just a few of the many photos I took at the City of Arts & Sciences, but there is a larger gallery on my Adobe Portfolio page if you just want to see more of Valencia!

Church of Saint Joan of the Cross. Valencia, Spain

San Nicolas de Bari San Pedro Martir (Saint Peter The Martyr). Valencia, Spain

Casa Baldo restaurant in Valencia, Spain

Travel

Highlights From Cordoba

December 29, 2024 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Night time at the Roman Bridge. Cordoba, Spain

I’m gradually working my way through photos and am now up to our time in Cordoba, which was the third of the five stops in Portugal & Spain. After our day trip to Granada and The Alhambra, we spent two days exploring this beautiful city.

Sunset from the rooftop bar of Hotel Hesperia, our hotel in Cordoba, Spain

Our first stop was the The Mosque-Cathedral, which like the Alhambra has a complex history, dating back to the 6th century as a Visigoth Basilica. The building became a Muslim mosque in the 8th century, and after a number of additions and enlargements eventually became a Catholic cathedral in the 13th century. Restoration work began in the 19th century and is ongoing. The building became a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984.

The Mosque-Cathedral Monumental Site of Cordoba, Spain

One of the things that distinguishes the Mosque-Cathedral is the red and white arches that span the columns in the building.

Colorful light through stained glass windows. The Mosque-Cathedral Monumental Site of Cordoba, Spain

Shadows from light through the windows. The Mosque-Cathedral Monumental Site of Cordoba, Spain

We spent much of the rest of our time in Cordoba exploring the streets, alleyways and neighborhoods of the town, both on our feet and using the Hop-On-Hop-Off bus to get from place to place. We also attended a Flamenco show, which was so interesting it warrants its own post, which I will do soon!

Restaurante Sociedad Plateros María Auxiliadora Andalusian restaurant in Cordoba, Spain

I continue to add photos to my Adobe Portfolio gallery, so check back often to see what’s new! The one that changes the most is the one titled “Stops Along The Way” as it contains photos from places we stopped as we transferred from one city to the next. The most recent addition is photos from Alarcon and Requena.

Moonrise from the rooftop bar of Hotel Hesperia, our hotel in Cordoba, Spain

Travel

Decisions, Decisions

December 27, 2024 Tom Dills

Rua Direita (Main Street) in Obidos, Portugal

When we started planning our time in Portugal & Spain, we first had to decide where we wanted to go. Since we would be getting off the ship in Lisbon and getting back on the ship in Barcelona, those two cities were no-brainers. We knew we wanted to visit Porto, since that is the home of Port wine and also an important place in the history of Portugal.

Town Gate and Our Lady of Piety Oratory, dating to around 1376. Obidos, Portugal

We ultimately decided to visit Porto and Lisbon in Portugal, then Cordoba, Valencia and Barcelona in Spain. More time in fewer cities would allow us time to explore each place, with plenty of flexibility for discovering things not typically on the tourist checklists. It would work out to be a pretty good strategy.

Remains of the Usseira Aquaduct, dating to 1573. Obidos, Portugal

We chose where we wanted to go before we decided out how to get there. We initially figured on using trains to get from city to city. Trains from Porto into Spain generally go through Madrid, and we had decided to avoid Madrid for this trip since we were already planning to visit Barcelona. Yes, there are many interesting places we would miss, but we knew that we were going to miss a lot no matter where we went. Trains from Lisbon tend to stay along the southern coast of Spain, which is the general area we decided to visit. It seemed to make sense to go directly to Porto from Lisbon first, then return to Lisbon before working our way on to Spain.

Book store in a former church. Obidos, Portugal

As it turned out, we used private cars to take us from city to city. It is quite a bit more expensive than taking trains or buses, but it saved us the hassle of schlepping suitcases and dealing with train and bus schedules and unfamiliar stations. It also gave us the advantage of a driver with local knowledge and being able to stop in interesting places along the way.

On our ride from Lisbon to Porto, we stopped in the towns of Obidos (OH-bee-dose) and Nazare (NAZ-a-ray). We had a little time to explore each place, take a few photos, do a little shopping and grab a bite to eat.

View from the Miradouro do Suberco (viewpoint) in Nazare, Portugal

In Obidos we explored the town, including the remains of an ancient Roman aqueduct, the city gate dating to the 1300s and an old church, among other sights. We were able to pick up a bottle of Ginja, a sweet & sour liqueur made from cherries. It is typically served in a small chocolate cup, but we just bought a bottle and a couple of souvenir glasses to take along.

Sanctuary of Our Lady of Nazareth Church in Nazare, Portugal

Nazare is known as a beach town, and in winter can have huge waves which attract surfers from around the world. The sea was calm during our visit, so we wandered the town and visited Our Lady of Nazareth Church before heading on to Porto.

Our ride from Lisbon to Porto with Cesar in his Jaguar.

Travel

A Stop In The Canary Islands

December 26, 2024 Tom Dills 2 Comments

Approaching Santa Cruz, Tenerife aboard Adventure of the Seas

Before reaching Lisbon, our ship stopped at the Canary Islands of Tenerife and Lazarote. We did tours on each island that took us to many of the highlights.

On Tenerife, we explored the towns of Santa Cruz, Taganana and La Laguna, along with a number of sightseeing spots along the way.

Market in La Laguna. Tenerife, Canary Islands

La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Tenerife, Canary Islands

Mirador Cruz del Carmen. Tenerife, Canary Islands

View from Xiomara Restaurant in Taganana. Island of Tenerife, Canary Islands

Rogue de las Bodegas. Tenerife, Canary Islands

On Lanzarote we visited Timanfaya National Park, a volcanic landscape with numerous hot springs and fumaroles, Bodega Antonio Suarez winery in the La Geria wine region, Cactus Garden, designed by César Manrique near Guatiza and Jameos del Agua, an event and entertainment complex built in a volcanic tunnel formed by the volcano La Corona 20,000 years ago.

Out the bus window! Timanfaya National Park. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Volcanic heat demonstration using sagebrush. Timanfaya National Park. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Volcanic geyser demonstration using water in a steam vent. Timanfaya National Park. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Roasting chickens over a volcanic heat grill. Timanfaya National Park. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

It was our first time visiting both islands, and they were quite different than anything we’re used to seeing, and were both very interesting places to see.

The Green Lake at El Golfo. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Coastal views at El Golfo. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

By the way, I have started posting individual galleries to my Adobe Portfolio page. I will continue to update this site as I go through my photos, but there are enough photos there now to make it worth a visit. I’ll periodically post reminders here when I’ve added more stuff.

Bodega Antonio Suarez winery in the La Geria wine region. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

The Cactus Garden, designed by César Manrique near Guatiza. The garden hosts more than 1,000 cactus specimens. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Jameos del Agua, an event and entertainment complex built in a volcanic tunnel formed by the volcano La Corona 20,000 years ago. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Small albino crabs living at Jameos del Agua, an event and entertainment complex built in a volcanic tunnel formed by the volcano La Corona 20,000 years ago. Lanzarote, Canary Islands

Photography, Travel

A Step Back To Move Forward

December 23, 2024 Tom Dills 4 Comments

Allure of the Seas and Adventure of the Seas in Coco Cay, Bahamas

Confusing title, right? No worries…read on.

Before I start posting more photos from our recent adventure, I thought a little background might be helpful. Maybe, maybe not.

For years I’ve entertained this idea that I would love to take a transatlantic cruise to Europe in the spring, spend the summer bumming around the continent, then take another transatlantic cruise back to the states in the fall. That’s what cruise ships (in the northern hemisphere) usually do – winter in the Caribbean and summer in the Mediterranean, Baltic or Alaska.

There is generally only one way to sail over to Europe and back in less than a summer on a major cruise line. Cunard operates regular transatlantic cruises year round on the Queen Mary II. We know people that do it, but it is a little pricey and just never seemed like the way we wanted to do things.

Adventure of the Seas in Coco Cay, Bahamas

About a year and a half ago, friends told us about an upcoming cruise opportunity on Royal Caribbean’s Adventure of the Seas that was going to Spain for dry dock. It was scheduled to leave Port Canaveral in Florida, sail to Lisbon, Portugal then go into dry dock for about three weeks. After dry dock it was scheduled to sail from Barcelona, Spain back to Port Canaveral. The price was great – less than it would cost us to fly round trip for both cruises – round trip! Plus it would make stops on the way both ways. Portugal and Spain had been on our radar for a while but had not quite made it to the top of the list. But sometimes opportunity is the best motivation! So we booked it. It seemed so far away at the time.

Once we had our transportation over and back, we had to figure out how to get from Lisbon to Barcelona in 3-ish weeks. A couple of emails to friends and a few calls with our lovely travel agents came up with a plan. We had lots of options, but finally settled on spending time in Porto & Lisbon in Portugal, then Cordoba, Valencia and Barcelona in Spain. We usually prefer to spend more time in fewer places, and considered these cities to be good places to explore in and to explore from. We were also counting on visiting in the off season, so hopefully there would be fewer crowds in the popular places.

Rather than make this a 300 page post that no one reads (are you still reading? 😉 ) I’ll try and add some details to the individual city posts as I do them. That will make each post a little shorter and more concise, and give me more material to share. Porto will be up first in a few days.

How far can you sail in a straight line? Navigation map aboard Adventure of the Seas

Travel

The Portuguese Center of Photography

December 22, 2024 Tom Dills 6 Comments

Portuguese Centre of Photography in Porto, Portugal

While we were in Porto, Kathy & I couldn’t pass up a chance to visit the Portuguese Center of Photography. The Center is located in a former prison and court complex that dates to the late 1700s. After 200 years of use, the building fell into disrepair but was ultimately restored in a project begun in 2000, repurposing the structure as an exhibition hall. So not only are the contents interesting, but the building itself is photographically appealing.

At the time of our visit, the exhibitions included a display of student work from School of Media Arts and Design of the Polytechnic of Porto, a collection of photographic equipment from Antonio Pedro Vicente (link to the inventory) and an exhibit of work by British filmmaker Humphry Trevelyan from the 1975 Carnation Revolution.

Also around the museum were exhibits documenting the building’s role as a prison and court, including the early use of photography in documenting prisoners. Early “mug shots” of sorts, stripping the prisoners of identifiable signs, forcing them to stare at the camera with a frightened or defying look in order to suggest guilt.