2016 Spring/Summer RCCL TA Cruise One and Cruise Two in Northern Europe

And off we go!!!!

This first page of our summer 2016 voyages covers the time period from May 4, 2016 through May 28, 2016.

It has taken me until June 8, 2016 to get this far. Internet at sea…. think dial up.

I will come back and identify areas a little better (with the help of Jim’s more detailed oriented brain), and as I am able to get wifi to work.

Fort Lauderdale Florida

May 4-8, 2016

We stayed at Hilton Fort Lauderdale Beach Resort. It was a great location, helpful staff, we will definitely stay there again when in FLL.

Atlantic Ocean crossing, Fort Lauderdale Florida to Southampton England 13 days

Ponta del Gada The Azores our first port of call after leaving Florida May 15, 2016

Sao Miguel is the largest island of the nine islands of the Azores, it is known as a green island. It is known as the green island because of it’s abundance of vegetation.

The Azores are a archipelago formed by a volcano in the Atlantic ocean that was discovered by Portugal in the 15th century.

Sao Miguel consists of high mountain peaks, crater lakes, rocky coasts, green fields, forests and green pastures.

Ponta del Gada is the largest city on the island of Sao Miguel.

Our group

Sunny Lisbon Portugal is the capital of Portugal. It is very hilly and consists of narrow winding streets.

Lisbon originated as a trading center back before the time of Christ.

With Portugal becoming a major world power during the 16th century, competing primarily with Spain.

During the 16th century the Pope facilitated the Kings of Portugal and Spain dividing up the world for colonization purposes. Thus the reason that most of South America speaks Portuguese and most of Central and Mexico speak Spanish.

A modern sculpture comprised of various historical figures who were involved in the discovery of new lands. The monument was created to celebrate 500 years of Portuguese discoveries.

This is a model of the first plane to make a Transatlantic flight, flown by two Portuguese flyers.

Remembering Monte’ a wonderful lady, a beautiful soul

Our ship

LeHavre France, Normandy 5-20-2016

Today we are in the port of LeHavre, France, the port for Paris.

We had a full day tour of the different locations that are a part of the WWII Memorial in Normandy.

Normandy is where the allied forces invaded France on June 6, 1944 (D Day) to start the liberation of Europe from Nazi Germany. The invasion force consisted of 140,000 men.

The first place visited is Pointe du Hoc, the site of the Germany battery at the top of the cliffs that were attacked by the US Rangers.

Omaha Beach, four miles long, was one of the four allied invasion sites. It was where some of the bloodiest fighting took place.

The following is a portion of the monument for the Normandy invasion.

One of several cemeteries for American casualties of the Normandy invasion.

Our balcony visitor

May 28, 2016 La Coruna Spain (mostly)

La Coruna is a thriving port, fishing center, and vacation spot in Northwest Spain. It has a history shaped by ancient Celtic tribes, Roman conquerors, and Germanic Goths.

It sits on a long beach with large dynamic tide swings, especially during their winter.

Bag pipers in Spain

One of the seaside sculptures along the beach.

Now, on to Norway!!!!

But first, a few pictures of our ship, Royal Caribbean Navigator Of The Seas

Slight problem encountered.

When I put my photos through the image optimizer now, those that needed to be turned, the IO turns them back when it processes. So it isn’t that I don’t see the shower is going the wrong way, I just don’t know how to undo what the IO has done.