2004 Europe

The white marble of this statue of Mary above Horta Bay contrasting with the black basalt wall, the blue of the sky, accented by the red roses really struck me.











This is the Punta Delgada city square on the island of Sao Miguel in the Azores. The tower of the Sao Sabastiao Church is on the right. The original city gates are under the blue tarp in the center. The statue of Goncalo Velho Cabral, priest, navigator, explorer and first captain of the city, is between the two.






Tuna doesn't get any fresher than this large one for sale at the fish market in Funchal, Maderia. The most amazing thing is the price, 3 Euro a kilo, about $1.75 a pound.








This ceramic tile picture is on the outside wall of a Funchal building.









The entire building is decorated with this type of tile work. Any guesses what building it is?





It's the Funchal Toyota dealership!!







The streets of the Jewish Quarter in Seville, Spain are quite narrow. It occupies some of the oldest areas of the city and has lots of small shops and restaurants.












This is the interior of the Santa Maria Cathedral in Seville. The cathedral is one of the five places in the world that claim to have the body of Christopher Columbus.












This available light picture shows the grave of Christopher Columbus. I've ever seen one like it. It's four pall bearers carrying a casket that is the burial place. I've been to four of the five places where Chris is supposed to be interred. I hope he's here. It's the best!!








Apparently in Sintra, Portugal, when seeds drop onto your tile roof you just let them grow. Not only is the little porch of this villa covered in plants but they are sprouting from the roof tiles as well.






Lord Byron described Sintra as "this glorious Eden". It's a UNESCO World Heritage Site and is a very romantic place set in the granite hills of Portugal.







This is a close up of one of the panels on the painted tapestry Stations of the Cross in the Chapel of the Virgin Mary atop Monte Toro on the Island of Minorca.












This is my Fried White Bait lunch in Mayo, Minorca as mentioned in my journal. They were delicious.







Digital Nikon takes a pretty good closeup. This is about a 1:1 view unexpanded. If you click on it you'll see it jumbo sized.







This is Espana Square in Mahon, Minorca. The pinkish building in the background is the cathedral Santa Maria de Major.









Diana is pointing at the porthole for our cabin on the ms Noordam, room 711.









The Codorniu winery's main building was designed by the modernist architect Josep Puig i Cadaflach. Construction began in 1895 and was completed in 1915. It's a national historic building.








This is the front facade of the Basillica at the Monserrat monastery. You can see Christ and his 12 apostiles just above the door.












This is the view from the Monserrat monastery. In historical times it was a pretty easy place to defend, perched as it is on the side of a very steep cliff face.






(c) Rod Longenberger - 2005