Oct 4 - Funchal (Madeira), Portugal

FRI 04OCT24 Funchal (Madeira), Portugal 08:00 AM 05:00 PM

Tour Sustainable Tea Farming Experience -
Canceled since we were the only ones

FNC-GG2 SUSTAINABLE TEA FARMING EXPERIENCE

 

Date: October 04, 2024 09:30 AM

Participate in a hands-on agricultural experience during which you will learn how organic tea is produced on a farm in the hills above Funchal. The same family has owned the property in the parish of Monte for more than a century, but their lives changed dramatically in 2013, when raging fires destroyed their home and crops. Instead of giving up, the family turned to organic farming, growing tea and medicinal herbs using sustainable practices. As you will discover, the process is natural and accomplished using manual labor instead of relying heavily on machinery. Following a tour of the farm, you will help out by pruning the plants, laying out tea leaves to dry in the sun and grinding your own blend of tea. You can expect it to be an eye-opening and fulfilling experience, as each step is done with as little environmental impact as possible. Later, you might linger over a cup of brewed tea.

·Join a farming family in hills above Funchal and learn to process organic tea step by step .

·Discover how the family changed their farming methods to become more sustainable .

·Linger over a cup of tea and a slice of homemade cake following the experience .

·Dress in weather-appropriate clothing .

·Wear flat comfortable walking shoes .

 

Replacement Tour

Duration: 4.50 Hrs

FNC-017 MONTE VILLAGE & BOTANICAL GARDENS

 

Date: October 04, 2024 08:45 AM

Cherish the many fascinating facets of Funchal with sojourns by soaring cable car and thrilling toboggan, and illuminating tours of a lush botanical garden and a fascinating embroidery factory. Board a charming cable car for a short, 15-minute ride above Funchal’s Old Town to Monte, a beguiling mountain village perched on a lovely hillside towering some 1,650 feet above the sea. Study the historic Church of Our Lady of Monte, the burial site of Charles I, exiled ruler of

the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Celebrate your inner child with a brisk, yet safe, 10-minute ride in a wicker toboggan, an unforgettable experience that Ernest Hemingway extolled as of the most exhilarating of his life. Bask in the bounty of the Madeira Botanical Garden, a serene oasis of indigenous plants, rare water-storing succulents and incredible trees from as far away as the lower Himalayas. At an enchanting embroidery factory, you’ll observe how bordadeiras, or

embroiderers, follow intricate production techniques unchanged in nearly a hundred years. You’ll surely marvel at the rich variety of adventures you’ve enjoyed on this unique exploration of Fuchal’s diverse wonders.

·Travel by cable car to panoramic Monte and see the lovely mountain village’s regal church.

·Delight in a safe, yet exhilarating, 10-minute mountain descent on a unique wicker toboggan.

·Take in a vast variety of flowers and plants at the breathtaking Madeira Botanical Garden.

·Learn about the fascinating creation of local embroidery at a thriving factory.

 

Breakfast (sangria) at La Veranda (the only option on this ship?) buffet got some musili and bacon

Disappointingly the embroidery factory was cut and not included!
The island was so pretty. So many flowers.
Maderian wine tastes like port!
After the tour mom and i popped off to a tea shop to get tea, as well as buy some loose leaf for the ship.
then we went and got a rare pokemon! (tropius)
Back on the ship for a shower

Dinner was at Chartreuse (french) 
we had an amazing cheese plate the rockfort blue was stunning.
mom got mushroom soup and loved it
i got veal and it was ok
the bordeaux wine was lovely

Did our mid ship cruise survey, and got our disembarkment forms ready as requested

after dinner i think i played too long on my phone and got poor sleep

Oct 5 - Santa Cruz De La Palma, Canary Islands

SAT 05OCT24
Santa Cruz De La Palma, Canary Islands
09:00 AM 07:00 PM

Morning breakfast at the la veranda buffet

Wandered town, interesting, some sort of protest about canada going on? but google translate couldnt

wifi on ship is terrible

lunch was sushi at la veranda



Tour Volcanoes & Wine
1:45pm
4.00 Hrs

Marvel at the stunning, volcanic landscape of southern La Palma, admire breathtaking views from the site of a 17th-century eruption, sample sweet local  vintages at the island’s largest wine producer. Have a first stop at La Glorieta square: This extremely beautiful, nice little plaza is ornamented with colourful and  extravagant mosaic works, depicting motifs of the Palmerian flora and fauna. With much attention for detail, Luis Morera, one of the most renowned artists of La  Palma, and student of Ceasar Manrique, has built built this artistic treasure between 1993 and 1996. Continue your tour travelling through lush vineyards and  pine forests to the San Antonio volcano, which last erupted in the late 1600s. From the crater’s rim, behold the pretty town of Fuencaliente, which means “hot  spring” even though the namesake inspiration was long ago destroyed by volcanic activity, and take in a spectacular view of the Teneguía volcano, which  erupted more recently in 1971. At the Bodegas Teneguía, learn about the decadent malvasia grapes, which are allowed to become over-ripe for more sweetness  and thrive in soil enriched by volcanic ash and lava. Savor an ambrosial taste of the fruit-saturated, aromatic wine produced in this somewhat unique terroir.  You’ll long revel in the joys of this journey through an island inextricably tied to its volcanic past. 

 ·Visit La Glorieta square, with colourful and extravagant mosaic works created by the artist Luis Morera 

 ·Drive to Fuencaliente, a lovely town nestled amid glorious vineyards and volcanic mountains. 

 ·Exult in sweeping vistas from atop the San Antonio volcano crater. 

 ·Gaze at the magnificent Teneguía volcano, which last erupted nearly 50 years ago. 

 ·Visit the Bodegas Teneguía for a tasting of the distinctly sweet local wine made with malvasia grapes. 

A lot of time on a bus which drove mom crazy

The volcano and education about the volcano was neat

we bought sea salt for dad from a sea salt place

walked on the rim of a dormant volcano

The wine was too young, the sweet wine was nice but not as good as ice wine.

Tried to do italian place for dinner but they were booked so ended up doing room service instead

The food was great

went to bed after doing a little more planning

have failed to study for canada citizenship

have failed to get enough rest

10q 3 2024

10q

https://www.doyou10q.com/

3. Think about a major milestone that happened with your family this past year. How has this affected you?

no major milestones? unfortunately seen mom less then ever before.

10q 4 2024

10q

https://www.doyou10q.com/

4. Describe an event in the world that has impacted you this year. How? Why?

ongoing wars, terror, israel vs palestine vs hammas, the conservatives taking power in the US and Canada.

 

I am hopeful Kamala has a chance

 

Stressed and sad by "humans are no damn good" as dad would say.

10q 5 2024

10q

https://www.doyou10q.com/

5. Have you had any particularly spiritual experiences this past year? How has this experience affected you? "Spiritual" can be broadly defined to include secular spiritual experiences: artistic, cultural, and so forth.

Nothing comes to mind?
The solar eclipse in NY near Potsdam with friends was lovely but not spiritual? I loved seeing so many friends I have not seen in a while.

Oct 6 - Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain

SUN 06OCT24 Santa Cruz De Tenerife, Spain
07:00 AM 09:00 PM

breakfast la verdana buffet
shipped the caviar and champaigne

Tour: Unesco Biosphere Reserve And World Heritage Center
8:15am
Return 1:15pm

TCI-003 UNESCO BIOSPHERE RESERVE AND WORLD HERITAGE CENTER 

 

Duration: 5.00 Hrs 

 

Date: October 06, 2024 08:30 AM 

Travel to the spectacular mountains and historic villages of northeastern Tenerife, indulge in the region’s gustatory pleasures and visit a marvelous UNESCO  World Heritage site. Drive through the unspoiled, botanically rich wilds of the Anaga Mountains, formed by a volcanic eruption millions of years ago. You’ll stop  briefly at one of the island’s highest points to take in an amazing panoramic view. In remote Taganana, one of Tenerife’s oldest villages, delight in locally  produced wine, goat cheese and bread at a traditional restaurant. Admire the meticulously preserved historic buildings in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, a  UNESCO World Heritage site in the idyllic Aguere Valley and capital of the Canary Islands until 1723. See streets that have remained largely unchanged since  the 16th century, imbuing the city center with a distinct character. Following your time in San Cristóbal de La Laguna, and before returning to pier, stop to  admire the impressive auditorium of Tenerife: considered one of the finest contemporary building in Spain. Be astonished by the gigantic wave-shape of the  building, it´s aim is to connect the city with the sea and gives the impression of an enormous shape of foam about to crash on the rocks.  ·Treasure panoramic sights of the Anaga Mountains’ rugged, mostly untouched landscape. 

 ·Visit the historic village of Taganana and savor wine, goat cheese and bread at a local restaurant. 

 ·Marvel at awe-inspiring views from a privileged viewpoint. 

 ·Appreciate the 16th-century buildings of San Cristóbal de La Laguna, a UNESCO World Heritage site. 

Stop to admire the impressive auditorium of Tenerife 

There was no walking, it was bus, look, bus 

mom was loosing it she hates buss / being still

roads were terrifying much like zurich, switzerland

brought our own cheese and fruit for lunch

got back to ship

went in hot tub, dipped in pool then hung by pool lounging and reading newspaper

went to afternoon tea, much better than the first day

all our recommendations i made on mid cruise have been actioned, wild

swapped the seville trip for cadiz

had 6pm caviar and Champagne on our deck before the ship took off

7:30pm room service dinner planned

Oct 7 - Arrecife (Lanzarote), Canary Islands

MON 07OCT24
Arrecife (Lanzarote), Canary Islands
08:00 AM 04:00 PM

Breakfast, roomservice
(museli, toast, tea, bacon)

TOUR
Panoramic Lanzarote - Small Group 07OCT2024 Arrecife (Lanzarote), Canary Islands
09:15 AM
3.50 Hrs

 

Venture into the barren landscape of a national park on a captivating volcano tour and sample Lanzarote’s fine wines, produced using an unorthodox method  due to the island’s harsh environment. Explore Lanzarote’s otherworldly terrain within the Timanfaya National Park and learn that the area’s Fire Mountains  didn’t exist until volcanic upheaval in the 1730s. You’ll marvel at the beautifully desolate and bizarre landscape of the park, where the temperature beneath the  surface can approach 1,000ºF, and listen to a gripping modern recording of diary entries from an 18th-century priest who described the eruptions. Pass the salt  flats of Janubio en route to La Geria Winery, a renowned vineyard that produces distinct wines primarily from the malvasia grape. Discover that to survive in the  dry soil, the vines are planted in funnel-shaped craters and the ground covered with porous volcanic granules to retain moisture. Sample a few of the resulting  dry to semi-sweet to sweet wines and appreciate this unique method of cultivation and the unexpected bounty of this seemingly sterile land. 

·View the desolate yet strangely beautiful landscapes of volcanic Timanfaya National Park. 

·Hear a modern recording of a priest’s diary describing the volcanic eruptions he witnessed in the 1730s. 

·Sample superb malvasia wines produced in the island’s dry, volcanic soil using a distinctive technique. 

The restaurant utilizes heat from inside the mountains to cook

looks desolate and moonlike

the only thing they have is tourism

all houses are painted white (tradition, because soil is dark and it is so dark the white houses made them findable when sun set)

mom found it depressing

they only entered modern age when 1966 they got a desalination plant, before that they had no water and no electricity.

now back at room to rest before lecture then tea

--

Did lecture, not an engaging lecturer

did high tea, again good and better than first day

nap



Canapes was chicken wings

we did the french restaurant chartruse again for dinner

ate so much, stuffed