Our Dream "Full of Firsts" 13-Night EB Transatlantic (Portugal & Spain) Cruise + WDW ~ w/pics ~ May 2023 ~ Completed!

[BroadwayHermione5]

That bat towel animal is so freaking cool

 

[disneyfaninaz]

That bat towel animal is so freaking cool

I'm sure the room stewards appreciated the longer cruise as they could show off more of their towel animal making skills!

 

[chuff88]

Day 7

Thursday, May 11, 2023

Sea Day 4





Despite not having to move our clocks last night, we slept in until 9:00 AM this morning.

Got up and took a quick look outside.



Yep, still a lot of water, but getting rather cloudy.

Bridge Report.



We went to cabanas for breakfast. We then went down to guest services and got today’s scavenger hunt. It’s Logos. It was rather easy and we finished it in record time.



We headed towards the Walt Disney Theater for our 11:00 AM Gold, Platinum and now Pearl reception. We were entertained by the violinist Mariya Volkova. She played “Beauty and the Beast” and “Let It Go.”





Captain Damier came out and spoke briefly. No breaking news to report.

We were introduced to the stage crew and were shown a behind the scenes look at how the crew works the Be Our Guest scene from the Beauty and the Beast show performed on the Dream. It was very interesting. The storage for the Dream theater is so much bigger than that of the smaller ships. They explained that a new cast would be coming on for a 2 week crossover training period. The new cast would rehearse during the day and the old cast would perform the shows at night.

After the reception, we got our Mickey Rice Krispy treats (individually wrapped and sealed, by the way) and booked it up to the stateroom. My goal: to find an open washing machine!

Doing laundry on a cruise ship is always an adventure. I knew we were going to be gone for 3 weeks. I also knew that we had to pack for different climates. It was warm and humid in Florida while it would be cool and rainy in Portugal and Spain. I tried to pack with this in mind and wearing outfits more than once. However, I still needed to do some laundry, so after the reception I started my laundry adventure. Unlike the smaller ships, the Dream has a launderette on almost every deck. On Deck 8 aft, closest to our stateroom, there was a small launderette with 2 washers and 4 dryers. Of course, both machines would be in use when I went to check While the screen in the launderette would tell you where machines were open, they were: (1) usually not open by the time you got there; (2) not running and somebody’s laundry was still in them; or (3) running, but indicating it was available; or (4) just plain out of order. I quickly went down to Deck 7, but those were all in use too. I hoofed my way all the way up to Deck 9 forward where they had 5 washers and an equal amount of dryers. I waited a few minutes for somebody to empty a washer and started a load. The time that the washer will run, based on the wash cycle you select will be shown on the washer. Based on that number, I set a timer for about 5 minutes before. I don’t want to be the one that is late and has my wash removed and placed on a table in the room. You will be notified through the Navigator App when your washer stops, but I didn’t find it as reliable. Wash loads usually ran for about 50 minutes. I was so focused on doing my laundry, I didn’t even think about taking pics. Sorry.

I was able to hear the Captain’s noon report over the intercom. We had so far traveled 1700 nautical miles and 1200 nautical miles to go. We would literally be in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean tonight. The Captain also played the repertoire of horns and I was able to hear some of them from our balcony.

We went to get a small lunch at Cabanas. The weather was starting to turn.



Afterwards, after switching laundry out in the washing machine, without anybody else waiting for it and having an open dryer, I was able to complete all of my laundry by 1:50 PM. A new league record!

DNC and DNM joined me for Disney Tunes Trivia at 2:30 PM in the D-Lounge. We had to name the song and the show it was from. We got 37 out of 40, but, again, the same groups seem to be getting 100% every time. DNC found a hidden duck on the ship. I had read about hiding ducks on the DISBoards, but I never found any, not that I was actually looking for them.



I went up to the stateroom and checked on the weather. It looked pretty rainy outside.



One of the perks we now get as a Platinum member is a complimentary bottle of Prosecco, chocolate truffles or a cheese tray. We got notifications through the navigator reminding us to order our selection. DH and I opted to order our Prosecco with 5 glasses and have a celebration on the birth of DNC and DNJ’s new grandson. They ordered the cheese plate from room service and we met in their stateroom for our little celebration.



We were scheduled for Animator’s Palate tonight with the Frozen menu, but we had other plans. The moment we had all been waiting for had finally arrived. It was time to get dressed up for our dinner at Remy’s. DH and I have been fortunate enough to eat at some pretty nice restaurants, but never a French restaurant like Remy’s. We were looking forward to it.

Our dinner time was 6:00 PM as we made our way up to the 12th deck aft.

After checking in Judy, we were welcomed by Arnaud, from France, and shown to our table. I see Remy!



We were also shown some bottles of wine that were referenced in the movie Ratatouille.



We were shown our menu. Our server was Aleksandra from Croatia. She was marvelous and explained every dish to us as she served it. Teddy from France was our sommelier, and he explained every pour of wine he provided.

We started with a Colette drink (Grand Marnier, Absolute Elyx Vodka, Moet and a sugar cube) mixed right at the table. It was exceptionally good.



We were then given some canapes. Which were also very good. I preferred the cheese canapes over the pate canapes.



Then she gave us our menu. We could choose the French Chef’s or the American Chef’s. As a table, 3 of us picked American and 3 picked French. I chose American. This portion was included in your upcharge. However, if you wanted to include the Wine Experience with each menu, it was another $115 more per person. Well, why not, we all opted for the wine pairing, except for DNM.





By this time it had started raining pretty good outside.



We started off with an Amuse Bouche. I don’t remember what it was, but it was very good.



We also got French bread with 3 different butters.



I chose the American chef’s menu, or the Goȗt side. I will share what I was given. I was enjoying each course so much that I did not take pictures of every dish.

The first course was Tuna and was paired with a Salmon Brut Rose.

The second course was Bacon Wrapped Sole with a Chardonnay

The third course was Rohan Duck served with a Merlot



The next course was Wagu beef with a red wine sauce served with a Cabernet Sauvignon. It literally melted in my mouth.



Then Aleksandra brought the cheese course.



It was not my favorite course.

Finally, we got dessert. First they brought out this big silver egg.



Then they brought out a celebration cake in celebration of DN’s grandson.



Then we got some more sparkling wine.



And finally, the chocolate dessert.



And then this.



And then a piece of the celebration cake.



And finally they opened the egg and brought yet even more chocolates and jellies. Ooh la la!



They gave each of us ladies a rose.



What can I say about this meal other than it was superb! I honestly don’t know how I walked out of there 4 hours later, I was so full. But it was honestly the best meal I have ever eaten!

After all that, it was time to go to bed. But to top it all off, we had to set our clocks forward one hour, yet again. In case you’re keeping track that is #3.

Our towel animal tonight was a dinosaur!



Steps: 8037
Miles: 3.64

Next: Bring me that horizon!

We had dinner at Remy in December 2021 on the Fantasy and it was similarly one of the best meals we've ever had. If you ever get a chance to do the Chef's Counter at Napa Rose in Disneyland, that's the only comparable experience to Remy I can think of and it might have actually been better. I'm not much of a wine drinker, but wanted to do the pairing and our sommelier was kind enough to "split" the wine experience between my mom and I (my mom is more of a wine drinker than I am, but we're both on the petite side and would struggle to get through four full pours), but because we got the two different menus he just gave each of us a "half" pour of the appropriate wines. But it was definitely more than a half

 

[disneyfaninaz]

We had dinner at Remy in December 2021 on the Fantasy and it was similarly one of the best meals we've ever had. If you ever get a chance to do the Chef's Counter at Napa Rose in Disneyland, that's the only comparable experience to Remy I can think of and it might have actually been better. I'm not much of a wine drinker, but wanted to do the pairing and our sommelier was kind enough to "split" the wine experience between my mom and I (my mom is more of a wine drinker than I am, but we're both on the petite side and would struggle to get through four full pours), but because we got the two different menus he just gave each of us a "half" pour of the appropriate wines. But it was definitely more than a half

I was afraid of the full pours too, but we got half pours. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to walk out of the restaurant. I don't even remember if I finished all my wines.

 

[chuff88]

I was afraid of the full pours too, but we got half pours. Otherwise, I wouldn't have been able to walk out of the restaurant. I don't even remember if I finished all my wines.

At least when we went, the sommelier at Napa Rose was also truly fantastic. He was funny and engaged and ended up walking my mom and I out of the restaurant because we'd come in through California Adventure and wanted to get out and back to Disneyland Hotel with as little time outside as possible because it was COLD. He got us hot chocolates to go and walked us to the door so we wouldn't get lost. We also asked for half pours at that dinner, which he very kindly obliged, and I think about halfway through the meal they started becoming full pours (but we were still only charged for half). For dessert, he brought out a beautiful bottle of tawny port that was nearing its end and gave my mom what was left! I really can't say enough good things about the sommeliers we've had for our Disney fine dining experiences, they've all been excellent and unpretentious and an absolute joy to talk to.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

At least when we went, the sommelier at Napa Rose was also truly fantastic. He was funny and engaged and ended up walking my mom and I out of the restaurant because we'd come in through California Adventure and wanted to get out and back to Disneyland Hotel with as little time outside as possible because it was COLD. He got us hot chocolates to go and walked us to the door so we wouldn't get lost. We also asked for half pours at that dinner, which he very kindly obliged, and I think about halfway through the meal they started becoming full pours (but we were still only charged for half). For dessert, he brought out a beautiful bottle of tawny port that was nearing its end and gave my mom what was left! I really can't say enough good things about the sommeliers we've had for our Disney fine dining experiences, they've all been excellent and unpretentious and an absolute joy to talk to.

My DNs went there once. We'll have to try it next time we're in DL. However, most of our Disney time is spent at Disney World right now.

 

[chuff88]

My DNs went there once. We'll have to try it next time we're in DL. However, most of our Disney time is spent at Disney World right now.

I just bought DVC with AKL as our home resort and a WDW AP, so even though we're on the west coast we'll probably be spending more time at WDW than DL in the future. I already have 3 WDW trips planned over the next 2 years (plus two Disney cruises and an ABD trip...) and don't think we'll also be able to make it to DL in that timeframe (mostly because of limitations on my PTO at work).

Next time you're in DL though I really would recommend putting in the effort to get a Napa Rose chef's counter reservation. I haven't experienced the regular dining room at Napa Rose, but the chef's counter is truly in a league of its own.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 10
Sunday, May 14, 2023
Ponta Delgada, Azores



Happy Mother’s Day!

Finally, after 6 days at sea, we woke up to see land! DH was very happy!! We were up at 6:40 AM.



The sun was just peaking over the mountain.





We were up early as our excursion was scheduled for 8:30 AM. Today, we scheduled a tour through Tours by Locals with our guide Jorge who was going to take us to the Three Beauties of the Azores. This was our first visit to the Azores, let alone Portugal.

According to the bridge report at 7:00 AM we were just about there.



We went up to Cabana’s for a quick breakfast while we docked. All ashore was at 8:30 AM. Somebody was celebrating a birthday.



After breakfast we went up on deck and got some photos of the port. Ponta Delgada is located on the San Miguel Island of the Azores. It is the capitol of the island and is the most populated city. While up on deck we talked with a couple, the man’s mother lived on the island. They had friends there that they were spending the day with. They told us that we had to see the 14 Steps in Franco de Campo. We were docked by 7:45 AM, but had not been cleared by officials yet.







Every port has a lighthouse.



The Santo Cristo Festival is a big religious festival in town today. Streets were strewn with flowers and several groups would walk the main street through town to the cathedral. Unfortunately, our travels would take us out of downtown so we would not experience the festival.

My first impression of Ponta Delgada was how vibrantly green the hills were.



We decided to meet in DNs stateroom at 8:00 AM. I had seen from our verandah that we would be getting off from Deck 1. The Shutters photographers were waiting for us.



We were told that we would of course need our KTTW card to get on and off of the ship as well as our government issued ID. We took our passports. While we were waiting to get off, I saw that guest services had another scavenger hunt today. I was surprised considering it was a port day. Today’s hunt was for Door Handles.



There was no line on Deck 1 mid as we made our way off at 8:15 AM. We did stop and have Shutter’s take our group picture with the life ring.


Jorge met us inside the cruise terminal and took us out to his van.

It was an absolutely beautiful day, the sun was shining and it wasn’t too cool. Jorge mentioned that it hadn’t been as nice the few days before our arrival. You’re welcome. The Disney Dream brought the Magic!

We started climbing in to the mountains of San Miguel. We went about 3000 feet in altitude. The views to the ocean were fantastic. We learned that when the island was settled all of the indigenous trees were taken down for wood to build the villages. Therefore, all of the trees on the island now are from New Zealand and China. San Miguel’s landscape was formed by volcanos, now dormant. Jorge explained to us that agriculture and dairy were the main industries in the Azores. We passed many fields of crops and saw a lot of cows.





Jorge stopped at an overlook for this view.






San Miguel is known for its Hydrangea Hedges. Unfortunately, we were a bit too early for them to be in their full glory.

To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 10 continued.

The first stop was Sete Cidades Lake. It is best known for its two colored lagoons, one of them blue and the other green, separated by a narrow straight which is crossed by a bridge. We were fortunate enough to see a rare phenomenon. The clouds had filled the crater over the lake. It was a sight to behold.









You could see the ocean from here as well.



We saw this little guy.



Somebody put a peace pole here.



As we were leaving, before the DCL bus arrived, the clouds were starting to burn off.



As we were driving to our next destination Jorge pointed out an elephant.



Whaling used to be a big industry in San Miguel. We passed a village that had a winch they used to bring the whales up from the ships to the processing plants.



Surfing is also a big sport at Santa Barbara Beach.





We stopped at another overlook with a beautiful view of the southeastern cost of San Miguel Island.







We could see the Farol de Ponta Garca Lighthouse on the coast.



We then went to Lagoa do Fogo, Lagoon of Fire. It was a beautiful crater lake with pristine water. It was definitely getting cooler and the clouds were getting a little heavier and darker up here.







To be continued.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 10 continued.

We headed back down the mountain. We could see our ship at Ponta Delgada.





Remember the man that told us about the 14 steps of Franco de Campo? We passed the Chapel of Nossa Senhora da Paz up on the hill. We did not stop.







Another island off the coast.



We made our way to Furnas Lake and the village of Furnas. This is where the hot springs are.







Some early blooming hydrangeas.



We walked to a park with the hot springs and mud pots. You can already start smelling the Sulphur (you’re welcome) and seeing the steam. It reminded me of Yellowstone and Akyreyri, Iceland.



















They have natural springs, and you can actually drink the sparkling water from these spigots. I tried it, it was not my cup of tea, but then I’m not a sparkling water drinker.









Then we went to an overlook of the lake.







The Chapel of Nossa Senhora das Vitórias.



The area is where people would cook food because the water was so hot.



A busy bee.



Jorge then took us back to our ship. All aboard time was 4:00 PM, but we were back to port at 2:30 PM. Jorge told us about restaurants and shops behind the terminal building. We decided to stroll around for a little while.

We decided on this pastry shop and tried a local pastry.



It was very tasty. By this time a long line had started to get back on the ship. DH and DJ got in line while I went into one of the souvenir shops. I figured I would catch up with them before they got to the front. Wrong! I found a cork magnet and waited, and waited, and waited in line. DH actually made it to security before I made my purchase. I headed back to the end of the line and was joined by DNs. We made it to the where we had to show our KTTW card and passport. DH waited for me. We went through port security and showed our KTTW card to get onboard the ship.

To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 10 continued.

Since we didn’t get any lunch, we stopped at Flo’s for a bite to eat and I got some ice cream. We were getting a regular zoo on the towel bin.



One of the things I like to do during each cruise is get a picture of the flag of the country or place we are docked in, so I got a picture of the Azores flag on the mast before we sailed out at around 4:30 PM.



DNC and I went and finished the scavenger hunt for door handles. One really had us stumped, so we asked a crew member where we might find it. She said try the 14th deck. The only thing up there was the Outlook Bar, and it was reserved for private functions. Only 1 elevator took you up there. So, we went to the elevators and were lucky on our first try to get the one that went to the 14th deck. Sure enough, as soon as we poked our head out of the elevator, the door handles were right there at Outlook.

With that done, I went back to the room for a break until dinner at Animators Palate. Tonight, was the World of Flavour menu.

I ordered:

Argentinian Empanadas
American Iceberg Wedge Salad
Chicken Breast Kiev
Strawberry Cheesecake



During the dinner Agus and Paloma asked about my daughter and I proudly told them about her adventures with the Disney College Program. Agus brought out a special dessert for Mother’s Day.



We went up to our room. The ocean is like glass tonight.





We decided to make it an early night. I wasn’t really interested in the DNA-Mentalists show at the WD Theater tonight.

We had to move our clocks ahead another hour. This would be number 5 for all who are keeping track.



A last check of the bridge report shows us on a direct course to Lisbon. So far, we have traveled.

2991 nautical miles.



Our towel animals tonight, in celebration of Mother’s Day, were 2 swans and special silver coin chocolates.





We all agreed that we had a great day exploring San Miguel! I absolutely loved the Azores. I had no idea how beautiful, green and lush it would be, and the weather was absolutely perfect. Hopefully, we can go back someday to spend more time. It is only an hour and half flight from Lisbon.

Steps: 9304
Mile: 4.18

Next: Our last sea day!

 

[ukintheus]

What great photographs you got. I don't know what I expected of the Azores but it was beautiful and it looks like you booked a great tour to see everything without the crowds. You had an early start to the day given all the time changes so I would have been right there with you on the early night!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

What great photographs you got. I don't know what I expected of the Azores but it was beautiful and it looks like you booked a great tour to see everything without the crowds. You had an early start to the day given all the time changes so I would have been right there with you on the early night!

Thank you! I didn't know what to expect either, but was very pleasantly surprised. That is another reason we go with these private tours: to beat the tour busses to these sites. I can't tell you how many times we would be leaving while a bus was pulling up.

 

[Flossbolna]

The Azores looked stunning. I know someone who went there for a hiking trip and I can see why that would be a great idea.

I love the towel zoo, we actually had it also on display when we boarded! They kept it around.

Also the talks that you saw by Bruce Kimbrell were still available on the in demand TV on our cruise. Not sure if that was a mistake? But it was nice to have and we wtrched quite a few.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

The Azores looked stunning. I know someone who went there for a hiking trip and I can see why that would be a great idea.

I love the towel zoo, we actually had it also on display when we boarded! They kept it around.

Also the talks that you saw by Bruce Kimbrell were still available on the in demand TV on our cruise. Not sure if that was a mistake? But it was nice to have and we wtrched quite a few.

Our tour guide also led hiking tours, so that is a thing there, and I can see why as well.

I'm so glad they kept the zoo. It was fun watching it grow.

That's great that they kept Bruce's talks on the In Demand on the ship. I'm glad you were able to enjoy them.

 

[bcwife76]

My goodness, what a mix of landscapes they have there!! So lush and beautiful, I don't think you could have asked for better weather for your tour!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

My goodness, what a mix of landscapes they have there!! So lush and beautiful, I don't think you could have asked for better weather for your tour!

It was stunning! We were very lucky with all of our tours regarding the weather.

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 11
Monday, May 15, 2023
Sea Day 7



We got up at 9:15 AM again. It was our last Sea Day. We have been on the ship for a week now. It went by very fast. Let’s check the weather.



It was cool and clouds were building but the seas still seemed calm. We were cruising at 21 knots. Whereas before we were going a steady 19 knots.



We went to Cabanas for breakfast. We never did make it back to Royal Palace for breakfast. Cabanas just seemed a bit quicker and easier. It started raining during breakfast.

After breakfast we went down to guest services and got the photo scavenger hunt for the day. Today we had to match a country’s flag with a crew member. Unfortunately, I didn’t get a picture today.

At 11:15 AM, DH and I went to Bruce Kimbrell’s last talk. Today’s subject was Firsts and Flops. See, another first reference! I was torn because the Hide and Seek with the Officers was happening at 11:30 AM in the Atrium. I had fun doing that on our Panama Canal cruise, but I was really enjoying Bruce, so we opted for his talk. DNs and DJ played hide and seek.

The talk was fascinating.

Did you know Doritos were actually invented at Casa de Frito in Disneyland? Or that Disneyland holds the patents to the Broilimation machine that mass produces the hamburgers in the park? Or that the Litter Guard trashcans that everybody loves so much were invented for the parks so litter wouldn’t blow out?

He also told a charming story about when Walt was working with the Imagineers to create the audio-animatronic birds for the Enchanted Tiki Room. Walt wanted them to breathe. The Imagineers were hesitant and told Walt nobody would notice. But Walt said they would expect birds to breathe and notice details like that, so the Imagineers made them breathe. Later, when Bruce was a kid, he and his family went to Disneyland the year the Enchanted Tiki Room opened in 1963. Disneyland was charging $1.00 per person additional to see the show which would have cost his parents $5 more dollars. They decided to splurge and saw the show. They enjoyed it so much they paid another $5 and saw it a second time. While his mother waited during the pre-show for the 2nd show, she wrote postcards to her family. Bruce came across this postcard written to his grandmother.



Walt was right! People noticed!

He also talked about the flops. He started by mentioning the World of Bra store on Mainstreet. Who wants to go to a theme park and buy bras? He mentioned the Flying Saucers in Tomorrowland from 1955-62 and why the technology just wasn’t there yet to make the ride a success. But even though the Flying Saucers weren’t successful, Disney used the same exact technology for Luigi’s Tires in 2012. Not only was the technology still unreliable it only moved 420 people through in an hour. So, it eventually closed.

Something else I didn’t know was that Disney built 2 Country Bear Jamboree theaters in Disneyland in the original Bear Country, but only ever used 1 because the demand was never there for the 2nd.

We also found out that Bruce was responsible for the ending of Rocket Rods in DL. Evidently the tires alone cost $5000 per day. He was a manager of Tomorrowland at the time. Bruce also predicted that the original concept for Disney’s California Adventure would fail as well. We all know what happened there.

There were other fascinating stories as well. To conclude, he recommended several good books about Walt and the parks. I’ll have to check a few out.

The Officer Hide and Seek was just ending after the talk, so we caught up with DNs. After a quick check on deck 11, the menagerie was still there.



At 12:30 PM I met DNs at the Pub for Movie Song Trivia. I ordered the Nautilus because I missed it as the drink of the day yesterday.



Nate was our host. DNJ was the lead on the movie songs, but we didn’t do too well as a whole. Fun fact, we found out that the Pub 687 was named after the number assigned to the Dream by Meyer Werft before it was officially named.

Afterwards we went up to Cabana’s for lunch. They had a German Corner today.

At 2:45 PM, DNM, DNC and I went to Disney Tunes Trivia in the D-Lounge. Mauricio from Mexico was our host. He said to make the game tougher, you had to give the name of the song and the show it was from. But you only get 1 point for the whole question. No halves. DNJ joined us halfway through. Mauricio did give us a bonus question for his favorite song, “Go The Distance” from Hercules, which he sung in Spanish.

The hardest part was keeping DNM from belting out the answers. However, Mauricio took pity on her and let her belt out the songs into the mic when the answers were played. He was very sweet. After a tie breaker, a different team actually one.

At 4:00 PM we all met at Pink for our Stem to Stern Wine Tasting. Kenneth was our host again. We tried 3 whites and 3 reds. It was a very international selection, and we went all over the world.







After the tasting, we headed up to our stateroom to get ready for dinner. I was pleasantly surprised to find this magnet on my door. It made me very happy! Thank you room #8520!



Dinner tonight was at Enchanted Garden with the Greek Isles menu. I ordered.

Gambas al Ajillo (Spicy shrimp)
Dijon-rubbed Roasted Beef Tenderloin
Strawberry Crème Puff



Since it was formal night again, we went to the atrium to get some photos taken with the backdrops.

I was very excited to see the Beauty and the Beast show tonight. On our Panama Canal cruise, we got a sneak peek into the rehearsals as they hadn’t brought it to the Dream yet. The line to get in was very long at 8:00 PM. We waited 12 minutes to get our seat. DH went with me so we found a seat higher up closer to the center that would fit him. The seats in the lower rows had this funky platform under the seats in front of you so you couldn’t stretch your feet out under the seat in front of you. The theater was very full.

I love how they projected the flames on the scones.







While I was waiting for the Disney Tunes Trivia at 2:45 PM, I caught the end of a Q & A session with Mark Edwards. He was the Broadway star that Disney brought on to play Gaston in Beauty and the Beast. He was superb in the role and he had the perfect bass voice to sing Gaston’s songs.

The show itself was phenomenal and I enjoyed it thoroughly. It was based on the live action version of the story.

As we were leaving the show I mentioned to DNJ that it was a bit hard to walk a straight line. I didn’t have anything to drink with dinner, I swear! I noticed other people not walking straight either.

After the show we went up to our stateroom and caught this sunset. The seas were also getting rougher.



We’re getting closer to Lisbon and the 35 knot wind wasn’t helping with the rocking of the ship and explained why people were having trouble walking straight.



Since we had an excursion in Lisbon tomorrow, we went up to Deck 12 and filled our water bottles at 10:00 PM and then called it a night.

Our towel animal tonight was a monkey.



I take meclizine (Bonine) every morning and every night when on a cruise to avoid sea sickness and I usually do just fine under general conditions. However, the ship really started rocking and rolling during the middle of the night. So much so that I was starting to feel nauseous and couldn’t sleep. I had to get up and put my Relief Band on and take a Zofran. Fortunately, I never got sick, but I got very little sleep.

Steps: 7709
Miles: 3.48

Next: A beautiful day in Lisbon!

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 12
Tuesday, May 16, 2023
Lisbon, Portugal



I had a really rough night last night with the rocking and rolling of the ship and it must have rained because we had rain drops on our verandah door.

We got up around 7:45 AM, because we had our excursion with Tours by Locals at 9:30 AM.

I looked out of the verandah first thing.







Whoa! What?! I knew Lisbon had a bridge, I guess I just didn’t realize that we would be going under the bridge. I love going under bridges on the ship. There was no way I was going to make it up top to take pics in time though, so I watched from our verandah. I put on the bridge view on the TV.



The bridge report. We were definitely at Lisbon.







As we were getting closer to the bridge, the 330 foot Cristo Rei Statue (Christ the King) was getting clearer. It was inspired by the Christ The Redeemer statue found in Rio de Janeiro. It was built in 1959 in appreciation of Portugal surviving World War II relatively unscathed.





We were getting closer to going under the 25th of April Bridge which spans across the River Tejo. It looks like the San Francisco Golden Gate Bridge on purpose as it was designed and built by the same company in 1966. The foundations are sunk 260 feet deep making it the deepest bridge in the world. The bridge was originally called the Salazar Bridge but was renamed for the 1974 revolution and liberation.











Ironically, I was fortunate enough to go under the Golden Gate Bridge in 2012. By 8:12 AM, we were on the other side. I really like sailing under bridges.



DH did go up top and got some photos coming into port.















I waited until we went under the bridge to start getting ready for the day but wasn’t feeling all that well. I asked DH to grab me a little something from Cabanas while I was finishing getting ready. Food helped.

At about 9:00 AM we headed to the top deck to overlook Lisbon.







To be continued. . .

 

[disneyfaninaz]

Day 12 continued.

We headed down to Deck 3 midship where we would be getting off the ship. I was surprised to see another photo scavenger hunt for today. It was tables. Unfortunately, I didn’t get to complete this one.



There was already a long line to get off the ship, especially for the DCL tours. We were a little delayed getting cleared by customs so we couldn’t get off until 9:30 AM.

We stopped briefly to get our picture taken with the Mickey Life Ring. It was a long walk to the terminal and we actually saw the back of the ship for the first time.



This was our first time to Lisbon. We met Marta, our guide for the day. Her half-day tour would be the Highlights of Lisbon. She was very nice and was great at dealing with DNM and the wheelchair. We had beautiful weather for the tour. It wasn’t too warm, and we had a nice breeze.

As we were driving away, I caught of photo of the Portuguese flag on the mast.



Marta explained about the earthquake of 1755 that all but destroyed the city. Neighborhoods were rebuilt on a grid system. She started driving us through the neighborhoods of Lisbon. All the neighborhoods were named after the churches in the neighborhood. Marta was a fount of information about the daily life of people in Lisbon, the earthquake and rebuilding, the history of the monarchy subsequent governments and many of the churches. I wish I could remember half of what she told us.











I loved the tile work on some of the buildings.



I love the patterned cobble sidewalks.



Marta took us up to Miradouro de Nossa Senhora do Monte overlook. It is Lisbon’s highest point and gave us a panoramic view of the city. There was a small chapel there where pregnant women can go say a prayer to guarantee a tranquil childbirth.



It had a sweeping view of most of the city.







The old castle.







The Elevador do Carmo (Santa Justa Lift). It is the fastest way to get from the Baixa neighborhood to the Bairro Alto district.


Jacaranda trees were in full bloom all over the city.



Then we drove around more of the city. There are seven hills in Lisbon. The roads were very narrow as we went up and down the hills.









They do have a major trolley system within the city that will take you from the bottom to the top.



We drove around the Pombai Plaza with the statue of the Marquȇs de Pombai. He was the prime minister in 1755 during the earthquake and he rebuilt the lower town of Pombai.





As with most major cities, it is becoming too expensive to live in the city, so a lot more people are moving out to the outlying areas, including our guide.

Tuc Tuc tours are big in Lisbon, so evidently is Disney.



To be continued. . .