Portuguese here and there

Portuguese here and there – once to Brazil and back

This time we stayed in the Portuguese-speaking area, with the exception of Tenerife and Cádiz on the mainland, both Spanish. This remained the case during the Atlantic crossing, as half of Brazil wanted to visit relatives in Portugal. So Portuguese became the ship’s language.

What attracted us to this cruise? Certainly not the long flight, albeit with Lufthansa, to South America. It was the other thing that set it apart from our travels on the northern continent. The different culture. Then the equator crossing and the beautiful sunny days on board.

We had always wanted to go to the Canary Islands to see what the German long-term holidaymakers do there. Then back to Madera and the Spanish mainland, the city of Cadiz. Finally, we disembarked in Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. We already got to know this city on our cruise three years ago, but there is always something new.

Munich – Sao Paulo, April 5, 2008

A long day, we thought to ourselves. We were dog-tired, but redeemed the voucher for a glass of wine that the hotel not far from São Paulo airport had included as an extra with our booking.

We took off from Munich late in the morning with Lufthansa. Even earlier from home because of the feeder flight. First we had a snack. The plane was already waiting. During the flight, the cabin manager surprised us with a bottle of sparkling wine with a greeting from the travel agency. That was the first bonus. In South America, we flew over mountain ranges with snow-covered peaks and then the sun set before we landed. What a beautiful sight. Then we were there, through immigration and customs, into the cab. Checked in.

Sao Paulo – Santos, April 6, 2008

Now we were finally on the ship and watched as the ship, the Splendour of the Seas, was towed out of the harbor. It was another one of those days. But there was also a surprise, but more on that later.   

So, we took a cab to the airport and took the shipping company’s shuttle bus. That worked too. We stowed our suitcases, got on the bus and off we went through the favelas of the suburbs towards Santos. Where the ship was waiting for us. A little journey in itself.

As many buses arrived at once, embarkation was chaotic. Thank goodness a German couple took us to the priority counter, so we were spared the long queue. And, no

Rio de Janeiro, April 7, 2008

This shows the dilemma of a cruise. You have arrived in an important city and stay for a day at most, then continue on in the evening. You have hardly seen anything, and if you have, then only fleetingly. It was the same for us. Then there was the bad weather.

We went on a city tour, took the cable car up to Sugar Loaf Mountain, saw the famous beaches from there and the Corcovado with the statue of Christ in the distance. We drove through the city, past the huge carnival grandstands to the even bigger modern cathedral. That was it for me.

In the afternoon, wife Eleonore couldn’t pass up the offer from Amsterdam Sauer. The company deals in gemstones and jewelry, has jewelry stores in Rio and a museum. For the predominantly female clientele, she offers a shopping tour through the stores, free of charge and everyone gets a small piece of jewelry on top. You are picked up from the ship in small groups by van and brought back with something you have bought. Mrs. Eleonore left it at a gift.

The ship set sail late. All the passengers were on the upper deck with its pool bars, enjoying the evening light of the big city, especially that of the private planes taking off and landing at the small airfield not far from the landing stage. We skipped the evening event and made ourselves comfortable with a bottle of sparkling wine. The ship had already left the port and set course for Salvador de Bahia, which we would not reach until the day after tomorrow.

A day at sea and here’s what the Cruise has to say about it:

At sea, April 8, 2007

Today is a day at sea and we hope you slept well, because you should be fit for the many activities that await you. From sunrise to sunset you can be as active or as relaxed as you like… One thing is guaranteed: It will be an unforgettable day. 

Further down the page – CAPTAIN’S WELCOME RECEPTION

The captain of the Splendour of the Sea. Yngvar Knutsen, cordially invites all guests to his welcome reception. Guests of the main meeting 18:30 -19:30.

We went to the evening show in full costume and then to the Schooner Bar.

Salvador de Bahia, April 9, 2007

The ship has docked and we are already on the bus for the guided city tour. We take the elevator to the upper town, see the Jesuit churches, walk down to the lower town via the slave market, stop off at a trendy restaurant, visit the oldest lighthouse in South America and then head back to the ship.

We think we are really in Brazil now, the area, the buildings, the people, the colors, the history. And the weather is glorious, even if it is a little too hot for Europeans. We saw and heard a lot, and I bought myself a polo shirt in the colors of Brazil as a souvenir. I took lots of photos, which I posted on Tripadvisor.

Recife, April 10, 2007

The Cruise Compass says: Recife – Recife, pronounced “he-see-feh”, is a charming coastal city that owes its name to the coral reefs that line the coast. Recife is rich in culture, has beautiful beaches and attracts tourists from all over the world during Carnival.

So far, so good, now what? We took the shuttle bus that dropped us off at Paco Alfandega in the city center. Should we first visit the Casa de Ultra, the former prison, now a cultural center, or the Olinda district, which translates as “Oh how beautiful”. We opted for the latter and took a cab there. The cab dropped us off at the highest point. From there we had a beautiful view, we could even see the ship in the harbor. We walked down the “Schöne”, past colorful colonial houses, ornate tiles and pretty alleyways overgrown with plants. Hardly any tourists are to be seen here, let alone groups. Almost an insider tip.

We left the “Beauty” and a cab took us to the Casa de Ultra. There we met a few more fellow travelers and walked back to the shuttle bus through everyday life in Brazil.

At sea from April 11 to 15, 2007

It’s a good five days to the next port, and we’ll be in Tenerife on the sixth. Enough time to have a look around the ship, see what it’s like, what the other passengers are like and what’s on offer. Not forgetting that we will be crossing the equator and witnessing the corresponding christening (of the captain). I have documented the announcements for each day in chronological order in the ship’s journal (Cuise Compass):

Day 6 Swing Dance Class – Come to Swing and learn all the steps to this dance. 10:30 a.m., Viking Lounge, Deck 11

Rock and Roll Revival – Travel back to the days of circle skirts and girly socks when rock and roll was all the rage. How flexible are you? Join in the dancing fun! 23:30, Top Hat Lounge, Deck 5

Time change – Please set your clocks one hour forward at noon today.

Day 7 Shopping ashore – Ask Helene, your shopping consultant, about the best shopping in the next port. from 17:00 to 19:00, Centrum

Weather forecast for today – Partly cloudy max. 22 degrees Celsius / min. 10 degrees Celsius Time change – Please set your clocks one hour ahead at noon today.

Day 8 Dinner – In the dining room “The King and I”, main session 19:30, formal dress

Karaoke – Decubra a la estrella pop del rock que lleva dentro cuando se pare frente al microfono esta noche de karaoke. No olivide trear su camera. 23:30, Tot Hat Lounge, Deck 5

Spendour of the Seas Olympic Games – extreme sports. Take part! 11:00 a.m., climbing wall, deck 11

Day 9 Showtime – The Royal Carribian Singers and Dancers present “Ballroom Fever”, fast-paced,

Romantic and unforgettable. The fire of Latin American dance, the passion of the Tongo, the friends of swing and the happiness of various country and western style dances. 42nd Street Theater, 8:30 pm, Deck 4

80s Dance Under the Stars – Get in the mood, because tonight there’s a celebration of 80s music with the SP3 show band, 11:30 p.m., Pool, Deck 9

Time change – Please set your clocks one hour forward at noon today.

Day 10 Explorations! Shore Excursion Desk – Have you booked your excursions for Tenerife yet? The

Explorations Desk is open from 10:00 to 13:00 and from 17:30 to 20:00. Deck 5

Love & Marriage- Game Show – Couples ask the naughtiest questions and the game show has to prove it. Who knows? You could be our next contestant couple. Check out these insane situations with your cruise director. At the 42nd Street Theater, 8:30 p.m., Deck 3

Next port – Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain.

Tenerife, April 16, 2007

Today, after several days at sea, we finally have solid ground under our feet and by that I mean Tenerife, the largest island in the Canary Islands. We remember Christopher Columbus, who set sail from here into the unknown. Over the centuries, the islands developed into a bridge between the Old and New Worlds.

Passengers were greeted by a small traditional chapel. A nice touch from the shipping company. We booked a bus tour around the Pico del Teide (white mountain). We saw many beautiful places and beaches. No wonder so many people come here for long-term vacations in winter. I don’t know whether we’ll treat ourselves to the same thing.

Funchal, Madeira, April 17, 2007

We have arrived in Funchal on Madeira and the Cruise Compass tells us the following: The island of Madeira lies in the Atlantic Ocean and is about 600 km off the coast of Morocco. For over 100 years, tourists have been enjoying the rugged volcanic peaks, the beautiful tropical coastline and the temperate climate. Bobbin lace and Madeira wine are still produced here in the traditional way. Many hidden valleys, peaks and botanical gardens are waiting to be explored.

Let’s take the botanical gardens as a cue. We took the cable car to get there. We admired the tropical plants and looked around. The tourist attraction is the toboggans, which you can use to slide down the asphalt, guided by two strong men. We didn’t indulge in the fun and took the bus. The bus gave us a similar feeling.

Arriving down in the town on wobbly legs, we decided to have lunch. Right next to the beautiful flower market there is a fish restaurant whose specialty is scabbardfish. We have already seen this expensive fish at the market in Recife, only much cheaper. We enjoyed the dish with friends from the dining room, not so much the service.

On the way to the ship, we all tried the Madeira wine in different varieties. It tasted terribly good, but also got into your blood. Wife Eleonore wanted to get something else and drifted off. I later found out about two blouses with bobbin lace worked into them. They arrived at home in a parcel.

For the evening, the Cruise Compass said: Latin American Fiesta – Get in the mood, because tonight there will be a fiesta with Latin American music and dancing, organized by your cruise director’s team. 23:30 – 01:00 in the Top Hat Lounge.

 We didn’t go. We were far too tired from the day.

At sea, April 18, 2007

Day 13 Nautical information – A big, fantastic ship. Would you like to get to know the ship? Our Captain and Environmental Officer invite you to an informal presentation to learn more about Splendour of the Seas and her crew. 11:00 a.m., 42nd Street Theater, Deck 4              

Explorations! Shore Excursions Desk – Have you booked your excursions in Cadiz yet? The Explorations Desk is open from 10:00 to 12:30 and from 17:30 to 20:00, Deck 5

Last cash prize Royal Bingo – ticket sales at 15:30 game starts at 16:00, Top Hat Lounge, Deck 5

Cadiz, Spain, April 19, 2007

We have reached the Spanish mainland, the Splendour of the Seas has docked in Cadiz. Many people took the excursion bus to Seville. That was too far for us and there is also a lot to see in Cadiz. So we set off on our socks. You can follow our tour on the map of Cadiz old town. We started at the Pasero Carlos III, strolled through the Parque Genoves, around the Santa Catalina fortress and on to the beach of Cadiz, the Playa de la Caleta. Then through the picturesque alleyways to the central market from 1837 at the Plaza de las Flores, break with a snack.  We continued to the old cathedral, which was built on top of a mosque. At the New Cathedral, we were suggested a further route through the city. Finally we were back at the ship, but not without stopping off at a nice café. It was a nice tour and gave me the idea of learning a little Spanish.

Lisbon, April 20 and 21, 2007

Our cruise has now come to an end, but we still have two days until our departure for Germany. But all in a row.

The ship sailed up the Tagus, past the Torre de Belem, the seafaring monument, under the Ponte 25 Abril to the jetty, where two ships had already moored.

Our curiosity was now aroused. So we quickly took our suitcases to the hotel and made our way to Belem to take a closer look at the tower and the monument, and we also passed the famous Jerome Monastery. We watched the cruise ships departing on the Tagus and marveled at the huge statue of Christ on the other side of the bridge. Perhaps the one on the Cocovado was even bigger.

We spent the evening in a beautifully tiled restaurant, took the cable car to the Port Wine Institute, sampled the wine and made our way back down by cable car to the lively Rossio Square, where we had another beer.

Our plane home leaves this afternoon. We still have time to visit the castle of St. George. From there you have a beautiful view over Lisbon. You can take the old streetcar to the castle. The Eléctrico 28E is not just a tourist attraction, but a “normal” part of Lisbon’s public transport system.   There are no modern or new streetcars on the route, as the tracks run through alleyways that are far too narrow.

What will you remember?

This was our fourth trip across the Atlantic by ship, apart from the one where we flew across the pond, there and back. What was this one like? We had to fly a long way, albeit a prestigious one. The main language was Portuguese, not English, and a bit of Spanish, which I’m interested in now. Brazil was a different world for us. Colorful and enriching. Tenerife and Funchal were new territory, we would have liked to have seen more of the Canary Islands and Madeira. Cadiz made us want to visit Spain even more. We had already been to Lisbon once before as the end point of the cruise. We discovered a little more again and decided to come back. One last look at Rossio Square, officially Praça de D. Pedro IV, tells us that, with its generosity, the column with the bronze statue of Pedro IV and the wavy pattern of the Calçada à portuguesa.