Saturday, December 27, 2014

Mediterranean 2014 - 'rocket blog'


This is a condensed version of my voyage from Fort Lauderdale to the Mediterranean and back to the States. I'd like to think that some shots repay clicking. For the full version, go to the righthand side and click on 'November 2014', then 'Mediterranean 2014  - part one'.
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Farewell to Fort Lauderdale.


Pigeon Park, San Juan, Puerto Rico.


Norwegian Cruise Lines Getaway, Philipsburg, St. Maarten.


We lose power in mid-Atlantic.


Demonstrators create as much noise as possible in Santa Cruz de Tenerife.


Beach loungers, Las Palmas, Gran Canaria.


Visitors, Arrecife, Lanzarote.


At the market, Tangier, Morocco.


Sunday people watching in Almeira, Spain. 


Budding artist and critic, Valencia.


Barcelona cafe.


A cold day - 61 Fahrenheit, 16 Celsius - in Palma de Majorca. 


In Civitavecchia, Italy, I am alone with Renaissance frescos. 


The forum in Pompeii.


Naples street performer.


Sorrento.


In Messina, Sicily, a convenient seat.


Puppet museum in Palermo - the Cyclops was Sicilian. 


Cagliari, Sardinia, fisherman sells from his scooter.


Irritated eagle? hawk? at a Cartagena, Spain, ‘Medieval Festival’.


Gibraltar from my cabin.


Atlantic seawall of Cadiz.


Back in Morocco and a street shot in Casablanca.


Ponta Delgada in the Azores.


On the way home.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Mediterranean 2014 - part fourteen


Between Casablanca and the Azores, the Costa Magica crosses our stern.

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A final European call at Ponta Delgada in the Azores. This 16th Century Portuguese fort retains defensive works from World War Two (Portugal was neutral) and, still a small army base, has a pleasant sentry.




Some interesting buildings ...



... and the chance of last 'people shots'. 



Is this old boy a priest? A penitent? 


Michael & Kathy, who've made the voyage so enjoyable, as Maasdam departs Ponta Delgada for a week-long Atlantic crossing. 


Next stop Fort Lauderdale. I've had such a good time I'm tempted to book the approximately same cruise next autumn, slightly longer with stops in Greece and Malta.




Tuesday, December 2, 2014

Mediterranean 2014 - part thirteen



Back in Morocco and considering the ‘Snack Saladin’. Don't mention Crusaders here and especially not at Casablanca's main attraction, the King Hassan II Mosque.



The second picture, showing people in relation to the 60 stories high minaret, suggests the mosque's size, largest in Africa.

Many Moroccans contributed to the building, completed in 1993. Whether they voluntarily contributed is another question. The main prayer hall can hold 25,000, the plaza 80,000 and a laser in the minaret is aimed at Mecca. 

I enjoyed a visitor from Atlanta's comment: ‘The carpet is very soft. You can simply lay down and take a nap there'.




A couple of shots to emphasize that not all Moroccan women are in drab black, but that many, even older, are colourful. Poking a camera in their faces, they'd rightly be offended, but they have no idea.



Two Casablanca 'face shots', a technique I'm trying to improve.



'Rick's Cafe’, opened in 2004 by a former American diplomat, mystifies the locals and, for that matter, mystifies me. I thought the next door Garage Neptune (with colourful bras hanging from an upstairs window) was more interesting.



 Maybe I’ll go back to the ‘Snack Saladin’.