ALGUÉM QUER (*) EMBARCAR NO «ROYAL CLIPPER»?
Partida de Lisboa no dia 1 de Novembro de 2007 e chegada a Bridgetown (Barbados) no dia 17 de Novembro de 2007, com escala em Marrocos e Espanha.
1) Lisbon, Portugal
Lisbon, the dazzling city that stretches along the banks of the Tagus, is an enchanting capital. There is the fortress around which the city originally sprang up, and which is now circled by neighborhoods drenched with medieval charm (é uma forma simpática de descrever o nosso caos urbanístico). Everywhere are fine monuments that bring to mind the great Age of Discoveries, and picturesque houses whose façades are decked with ornate ceramic tiles. As the dusk turns to night, the yellow electric tramcars continue to wind their way up and down the hills of the old capital, while the sound of traditional Fado folk songs enlivens many a candle-lit dinner table in restaurant or home (lá estão eles com o Fado). But the capital also provides ample opportunity for seeing popular celebrations, for shopping, and for enjoying the nightlife along the riverbanks (nos sítios onde não é proibido entrar ou onde não há vedações). With the port and marinas situated nearby, water sports are a natural attraction too. One of Europe’s smallest capital cities, Lisbon is for many, one of it most beguiling – an easily accessible mix of new and old worlds. Elegant outdoor cafés line Lisbon’s mosaic cobblestone sidewalks (óptimos para as senhoras enfiarem os saltos dos sapatos) along grand 18th-century boulevards (será que falamos da mesma cidade?). Turn-of-the-century funiculars dot its steep hills. Two-thirds of the city was leveled in a 1755 earthquake, but in its churches, peeling buildings, tiny alleyways, hidden squares, you can still feel the glorious past. («Amigo Bodeguero bailando el Cha-Cha-Cha»).
2) At sea
Your ship will be underway, at sea, with no port calls (esta é a melhor parte). Just time to enjoy the routine of shipboard life, getting to know your shipmates, and exploring your home upon the ocean.
3) Casablanca, Morocco
Long before Ingrid Bergman and Bogie made Casablanca a symbol for romance, the city was famous for intrigue and mystery. Veiled by overlapping mantles of French, Arabian and African culture (nem se fala na portuguesa), Casablanca reveals new faces at every turn (devem ser os ladrões nas esquinas). The enormous Hassan II Mosque (holding 70,000 worshippers) is the new Morocco, while the fanciful Mauresque buildings in the Medina impart visions of pre-war Casablanca. («Toma Chocolate, Paga lo que deves!!!...»)
4) Safi, Morocco
While today, Safi is a modern port, housing fishing and diversified industry, the old town which lies within the city is still very much alive. Here you might be tempted to buy pottery, seeing all shapes and patterns in a lot of shops, but then you are in one of the best places in Morocco for pottery (é preferível não sair do veleiro). There are plenty of opportunities to walk around and watch artisans working on their pottery (que interessante deve ser e que bonitos devem ser os artesãos). When you have been in places like Moulay Idriss you will have seen the beautiful covering on the roofs, made out of green tiles. Safi is the place where the tiles are produced (ah, então é isso).
5) Essaouira, Morocco
The beaches around Essaouira are beautiful (continuo a achar preferível não sair do navio). The town itself is famous for its fresh seafood, and is now a popular spot to take part in most forms of watersports.
6) At sea
Your ship will be underway, at sea, with no port calls (que maravilha). Just time to enjoy the routine of shipboard life, getting to know your shipmates, and exploring your home upon the ocean.
7) Tenerife, Canary Islands, Spain
The island of Tenerife is bisected by steep volcanic mountains cut by garden-like valleys lush with flowers and vegetation (prefiro Fuerteventura, por isso é preferível não sair sequer do navio). In the capital of Santa Cruz' anthropological museum, learn about the original inhabitants of Tenerife, the stone age Guanche people, who eked out an existence as shepherds. Not to be missed is a spectacular drive into the mountains, where 3,718-metre Mount Teide, Spain's tallest mountain, is covered in snow much of the year.
8) At sea
Your ship will be underway, at sea, with no port calls (que maravilha). Just time to enjoy the routine of shipboard life, getting to know your shipmates (a esta hora os shipmates já terão sido atirados borda fora aos tubarões), and exploring your home upon the ocean (exacto e aproveitar para desviar o navio).
9) Bridgetown, Barbados
On the wild and rugged east coast of Barbados, the isolated beaches are the colour of sunrise, the red sands having blown all the way across the Atlantic from the Sahara. The eastern most island of the Windwards, and indeed, of the entire Caribbean, reaches out to Africa and the Old World, as if not quite part of the New. Bridgetown, Barbados is an interesting town full of contrasts. George Washington actually slept here (oh que interessante! é preferível não sair do navio)! Trafalgar Square reminds you that the laid back, rum-and-fun-loving island’s British-influenced heritage includes revered traditions like cricket and high tea.
10) Plane back to Portugal
Nah. É preferível desviar o navio.
Baseado em informação gentilmente remetida por Pereira Oliveira, que a encontrou [
AQUI].
(*) No sentido de «
PODE»??
(Photo taken by Sailor Girl in Lisbon)
Yes, it is really hard to run away from these sweeties...
