ABC WEDNESDAY - # 19 (R)

(Photo by Sailor Girl)

«R» is for a «Royal Yachts». Today's photo depicts «NORGE», the Norwegian beautiful Royal Yacht, at Cascais, on May 26th, 2008. The ship is owned by His Majesty The King, and is manned and maintained by the Royal Norwegian Navy. Another exquisite AND nautical contribution to ABC Wednesday!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 18 (Q)

(Photo of «QUEEN VICTORIA», by Sailor Girl)

«Q» is for a Cunard «Queen» in Lisbon, on a rainy afternoon... A nautical and updated contribution to ABC Wednesday!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 17 (P)

(Photo of «FUNCHAL», by Sailor Girl)

Last Wednesday I was overloaded and completely forgot to tell you that «P» is for «POSH», deriving from «Portside Out, Starboard Home» (what a nerve). A nautical and updated to be contribution to ABC Wednesday!... LOL!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 16 (O)

(Photo by Sailor Girl of a typical view from the Tagus River, with the «Sé de Lisboa», a cathedral built after 1147 over the remnants of the mosque of the Islamic period)

«O» is for «Olissiponense», a person born or residing in Lisbon, also known as «Alfacinha» (literally, Small Letuce). The word derives from the Greek "Olissipo" and "Olissipona", a name they thought was derived from Ulysses. According to an Ancient Greek myth, the hero founded the city after he left Troy, and departed to the Atlantic to escape the Greek coalition. The presence of Phoenicians (even if occasional) is thought to predate any Greek presence in the area, though. A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 15 (N)

«N» is obviously for «NINA» (in the above photo, sailing at Cascais Bay). She belongs to Mr. Marco Semeão, who is also her skipper, and is registered at Moita. She is Sailor Mom's favourite, a case of Love at first sight!... NINA will participate in all races and events promoted in 2009, which you may check out in the Program, HERE. Though written in Portuguese, you may understand the dates (the names of the months are similar to English), then the name of the race or event and respective organisers.

A very «NICE» contribution to ABC Wednesday, don't you think?...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 14 (M)

«M» is for «MANY» Hugs & Kisses to Liz of Scotland, who cellebrates her Birthday today!!! A contribution to ABC Wednesday!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 12 (L)

(Photo by Sailor Girl)

«L» is for «LISBON LIGHT». If you haven't been here, specially during Spring and Summer times, you must come urgently to check out the fabulous brightness of this city!!!... A contribution to ABC Wednesday, a place where LIKE MINDED people come together for exciting collections of ABC Wednesday contributions!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 10 (J)

«J» is obviously for «JODIE FOSTER», my favourite actress!!!... A contribution to ABC Wednesday.

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 09 (I)

(«Infante Dom Henrique», the first ship I sailed on)

«I» is for «IDIOTS» who hate ships and let them die or simply don't care. Many beautiful Portuguese ships could still be alive and sailing (such as «Infante Dom Henrique», «Pátria», «Vera Cruz», «D. Fernando II e Glória» and «Ponta Delgada»), and many foreign ships, such as «Queen Elizabeth 2» and «Maxim Gorkiy», deserved a better fate!!!... A furious contribution to ABC Wednesday.

(«Vera Cruz» is another sad example of a beautiful Portuguese ship slaughtered to death)

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 08 (H)

(Photo by Sailor Girl)

In HOLGER's dream, «T.S. HAMBURG/ MAXIM GORKIY» is still in Hamburg, and he's standing at the bridge and can see the harbour. He says it is only a dream, but it's a nice one... I know how you are feeling, we had the same experience when our former beautiful ships were sold to scrap and we could not do anything about it...

So, «H» is also for «HAMBURG», the port, the city I love and the friends I made during the tentative to rescue the ship we were not able to save from scrap in Alang Beach. One of them is «HOLGER», who has just shown me a link to THIS PAGE with information regarding former Hamburger and later Portuguese Tugs!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 07 (H)

(«A felicidade é como uma borboleta. Quanto mais a perseguimos, mais ela se esquiva. Mas se voltarmos a nossa atenção para outras coisas, virá pousar calmamente nos nossos ombros...» - Thoreau)

«H» is for «HAPPINESS» (Felicidade, in Portuguese). So I was looking for HAPPINESS in the internet and found this image. A contribution to ABC Wednesday, wishing you a very Happy Day, my Friends!... ADENDA: Check HERE for some examples of real Happiness!!!

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 06 (F)

«F» is for «FELICIDADE» (Happiness in Portuguese). So I was looking for HAPPINESS photos in the internet and found the perfect post for today, called [Happiness at Work], from where I downloaded the above image. It refers to a book by Alexander Kjerulf a.k.a. [The chief Happiness Officer], named «[HappyHour is 9 to 5] - How to Love Your Job, Love Your Life and Kick Butt at Work». A contribution to [ABC Wednesday], wishing you a very Happy Day, my Friends!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 05 (E)

(Photo taken and kindly sent by B.F.)

«E» is for «ESTORIL», one of Cascais parishes. Today's photo was taken December 26, 2008, at Tamariz Beach (Estoril), around 5.30 pm. A contribution to [ABC Wednesday]. Have another very Happy Day, my Friends!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 04 (D)

(Image by Sailor Girl, depicting books

by the best Nutricionist in the Universe)

«D» is for «DIETS», specially those that work!!... I am on a diet since the 21st October 2008 and have slowly lost 11 kg until today!! I was really overweight... I don't eat cereals, bread, potatoes, beans, pasta nor anything containing synthetic sugar... I may eat anything else (including Bacon & Eggs!!!), some types of fruit and may even drink red wine!... Awsome diet, don't you think? The only problem is that it is forbidden to drink Caipirinhas and to eat chocolates... But who cares, when your Self-Esteem is getting higher and higher?? LOOLL!! You may find more information [HERE], my Nutricionist's webpage!...

Another fabulous and exquisite contribution to

ABC Wednesday, of which I am a proud member!!!... Have another very Happy Wednesday, my Friends!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 03 (C)

(Photo by Sailor Girl)

«C» is for «CORAÇÃO» («HEART»), the best brass «CLEANER» in the World, used in Real Ships almost since Portuguese Discoveries, such as «CREOULA», HANS «CHRISTIANS» 43T and all «CANOAS» and «CATRAIOS», the traditional sailing barges of Tagus River!!... Another fabulous and unique «CONTRIBUTION» to ABC Wednesday, of which I am a proud but absent member... Have another very Happy Day, my Friends!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 02 (B)

(The official registration book of the Barges belonging to the Tagus Navy)

«B» is for «BARGE», one of the traditional sailing vessels of our beautiful Tagus River!!! «B» is also for Happy «BIRTHDAY» to the Godfather of the Tagus Navy, composed of many beautiful sailing barges of the Tagus!!... A contribution to ABC Wednesday, now on its round # 04!... Have another very, very Happy Day, my Friends!...

ABC WEDNESDAY - # 01 (A)

«A» IS FOR «ATLÂNTICO AZUL»!

A contribution to ABC Wednesday, now on its round # 04!

Have another very Happy Day, my Friends!...

The flag of «Atlântico Azul» was designed and registered by Sailor Girl, with the help of [IADE] (Lisbon Arts and Design School), who offered all the technical support and the flag's specifications on my 36th Birthday. It represents not only UNITY around the World between all Countries, People and Creeds, but also the greatest Discovery of the Portuguese. «Portuguese, from the West, seeking lands of the East», as Portuguese Poet Luís Vaz de Camões sang on his poem «The Lusíadas». The Discovery of the Ocean, the Union of all Oceans, the Ocean Blue, color of the sky, the Ocean of the Portuguese and of Human kind. It is represented by the blue colour. This is the mark, the signature of the Portuguese, forever. It is centered by the unit of the armillary sphere, because, after the discovery, the entire Humanity discovered that we were connected by the roads of the Sea, which the Portuguese were the first to discover. It is topped by castles and armors, which are the signs of the Nation, the Portuguese Nation, spread and living all over the World.

ADENDA: it is also the official flag, the pavillion, of the «Tagus Navy», further to the author's authorisation, which highly honours me. Fourty five barges built between from 1900 to 2008 fly it and they feel very, very honoured and proud about it.

ABC Wednesday # 12 - «True Colours»!

«Z» IS FOR «ZEBRA»!

Can you see their TRUE COLOURS???

A contribution to ABC Wednesday!...

Have another very Happy Day, my Friends!...

ABC Wednesday # 11

(Season's Greetings card kindly sent by Eduardo "Goody" Pereira)

«X» IS OBVIOUSLY FOR LAST «X-MAS»!!!! LOL!!!...

Another quick contribution to Ms. Nesbitt's [ABC Wednesday], of which I am a proud team member (though terribly absent)!!!... Have another very Happy Day, my Friends!...

ABC Wednesday # 10

(«Ground Swell», by Edward Hopper)

In my heart and in my soul, «W» is for «WATER», where I like to be!!... A contribution to Ms. Nesbitt's [ABC Wednesday], of which I am a proud team member!!!... Have another very Happy Day, my Friends!... And a Merry Christmas!!! And a Happy Hannukah!!!....