March 26, 2015: Tanya's Trip to The Azores: Day 6 - Caloura and Resort Time

Elisa's Daily Scoop

Sisters Fun in NYC 

Happy ThrowbackThursday!

Today I’m expecting the delivery of my new Canon Powershot N100 camera!  I ordered it the other day when I went to Best Buy with Danielle to help her buy a new laptop.

I have a wonderful Canon EOS which is what I take when I travel for amazing pictures. But, after my daughter Gianna did mega research on the best compact camera for pictures and videos (aka “vloggin”), and bought herself one with her own saved money - I decided it was time for me to get myself one.

At this point, I really need a good little device small enough to slide in my pocket or handbag for my own vlogging needs!  

Thanks to Gianna, and all of her research, I will now have the perfect vehicle for providing our Travelin’ Cousins fans with great videos from my many adventures!

Kinky Boots Evening...
LAST NIGHT was f.u.n.!  I went into NYC to see Kinky Boots with Danielle.  What is it about sisters that makes it possible to laugh over the littlest things and nothing at all.  

I have had the hardiest of laughs with my sister.  In fact, sometimes she calls me hysterically laughing and I don’t know what she is laughing about and I start laughing uncontrollably before she is even able to express what had her rolling on the floor in the first place!

Anyway, we started the good time on the train ride in to Penn Station.  We made our way over to 8th and 44th to L’ybane, a wonderful little mediterranean restaurant, and the laughs continued!

Eating at L'YBane in NYC before seeing Kinky Boots

Scrumptious Almond Tart

The food was very tasty!  But, I knew this as I've eaten at L'Ybane before.  I'll be featuring it on a future Foodie Friday!! Needless to say, we had WAY too much food!!! Starting out with some killer appetizers, splitting a main course and then...yes, we shared an Almond Tart for dessert as well!!! Too much eating!!

Kinky Boots was a fun, upbeat and lively show - we both enjoyed it - full review next Monday so stay tuned!! 

We didn't wait by the stage door, which is my usual M.O., since it was getting late, and we had to catch a train back to Long Island.  We decided instead to take a nice leisurely walk from the theatre district down to Penn Station.  (We definitely needed to work off the food!!)

me and Danielle (circa 1972)

Today, I'll be working further on Tanya and Elisa's Milestone Birthday Eastern European Rail Trip.  I made some good progress earlier this week on finalizing our itineraries for Prague and Krakow.  

I'm going to tackle the places to see and things to do for Budapest, Hungary.  I'm going to check with one of Kelsey's classmate's mom, who originally hails from this city. I'm sure she will give me some great insights and suggestions!

I hope you are enjoying Tanya's daily blogs from The Azores!! ---->>>--->>>--->>>

Wishing you a happy day!!
-E
xoxo

Tanya's Daily Scoop

Super slow Wifi Issues

Good Day everyone! And a good day it is!
Bom dia (Boh-n dih-ahor) — means "good day," but it´s used mostly before noon or before the noon meal.

Today we are going to have a “day at sea” as Dave has been putting it. 
Which for those of you that cruise will probably understand what he means by that statement. 

Being that our room is located on a bluff right above the ocean and standing on our balcony we feel as though we are standing on a cruise ship balcony - therefore staying at and around our resort today is similar to a “day at sea” in cruise terms! There ya go and know ya now!

So being that we didn’t have the need to wake up quite as early to leave and go about my usually very packed itinerary; I had pondered as to whether we should still get to breakfast at 7am (before the rush) or sleep later and go around 9am (I had assumed once the crowds had left for the day). 
Well, at first I decided on 7am when it’s nice and still fairly quiet. But then when my alarm was sounding, I made the (wrong) executive decision to sleep more and opt for going around 9am. 

The decision was “wrong” because this is when I finally got to see the restaurant pretty packed and bustling with tourists. I always prefer having the place to myself! 

The other thing I noticed and just notice in general is that I tend to always be traveling amongst a crowd that is quite a bit older than I am - do I do it to boost my confidence? 


Of course not! I don’t do it on purpose. It just seems to happen that way. 
It’s me touring with a lot of seniors. And I am fine with that (I tend to actually prefer it), they are by far less rowdy and obnoxious. 

And I’ve always just seemed to get along quite well with seniors. They are generally quiet respectful and I certainly do appreciate that!

With my Grandparents and Great Grandmother (Mama) - Circa 1991

Too many younger generations just seem LOST and not in a good way. They could and should learn a thing or two from the elders.

And I am going to use that (as odd as it is) to transition it being TBT (Throwback Thursday)!

Although I am away traveling, I still plan to upload my TBT story of the week TODAY!!

Me and my wee little Dominic - Circa 1999

Well by now, you’ve probably noticed and are aware that I do not have the strongest wifi connection - I guess I should be happy that I have any at all! 

So hence, I cannot share with you all of the beautiful sites that I have been visiting. 
I will remind you that once I get back to the USA that I will be sharing plenty of stories and the photos that go along with them from this trip. 
Be sure to keep a look out for my announcement!

Until then, I hope that you do enjoy the few pictures that I have been able to upload.

Yesterday was our Biking and Canoeing Adventure -  
We met Luis, our guide from Picos de Adventura at their Ponta Delgada office and he drove us up to the village of Furnas. 

I'm doing a handstand at the odd upside-down house in Furnas!

It was from this point where we had biked uphill a bit more than 150 meters and then around Lagoa das Furnas. 

Funny thing is that while pedaling up the hill, we had passed a couple that was hiking who happened to be dining at ‘Rotas’ on Monday night! 
How crazy - what a small world and what a small island! 

It was a beautiful day with a bright blue sky and puffy white clouds, the trail around the lake was lovely and has several different elements and scenery. 
From riding past a private Gothic church, to seeing the worlds 2nd tallest Norfolk Island Pine tree, 50.10m high and 193cm in diameter (the tallest one is in Maui), bamboo forests and several other “forests” each with their own unique look and feel. 

Then upon arriving at the actual Furnas, we had to ride through the water, when this was mentioned to me, I just thought it was a “nothing” of a stream, but a precaution that the guide must make me aware of. 
Well, in actuality it was just a small stream, but the water was wider and deeper than I had imagined - 
Luckily I made it through without falling in and getting soaked! 
That’s not to say that I wasn’t wet from the splashing and water spray from riding right through it.

We parked our bikes and walked amongst the (stinky smelling - sulfur - think Yellowstone NP) Furnas and next thing ya know... 
We bumped into ‘Rui’ from Azores Private Tours - again, what a small world and what a small island!

Staying on this note, while we were biking around the lake Dave was approached by a few tourists wondering where they could find such a tour - he couldn’t remember the name of the tour company and again ran into the same group of tourists not far from our lunch stop (at this point he had asked for my advice and we gave them the information on how to find Picos de Adventura); well anyhow this same group of tourists are actually staying at the same resort that we are and we saw them again this morning at breakfast!

Lunch was at the very popular Restaurante Tony’s, which was back in the village of Furnas. 
Where most diners feast on the local favorite and traditional stew that is cooked for 6 hours in the fumaroles near Lake Furnas - ‘Cozido has Caldeiras das Furnas’ - we had a delicious, and you know that I wouldn’t say it was delicious if it wasn’t - Pasta Primavera and a large colorful salad.

Being in Europe and eating the vegetables and fruit here is always a big treat! Always so much more flavorful, and delicious than most of the same varieties that we can get back in the states. Anyhow lunch was totally YUMMY!

After lunch and refueling our bodies, we drove up to the Lake, put on our life vests and dragged the canoes out to the waters edge, hopped in and began paddling! 

We paddled in a rather not so straight line and to the other side of the lake, with a couple of relaxing breaks in the middle and to watch the jumping Carp! 
It was kinda cool and as long as I was watching from a distance. 

I had explained to Dave that if one of those fish happened to jump into our canoe - that without any further thought that I would be jumping out of the canoe and into the water (which it is illegal to swim in this lake). 

It was both a fun and a relaxing activity and our canoe and Luis’ canoe were the only ones in the Lake! 
I’m just luvin’ the lack of crowds!!! 

While chatting with Cosette yesterday, I had told here that I have an idea for a trip back here with her and Dominic - an adventure of sorts! 
She replied “Mom, aren’t they all?!” 
Anyhow, stay tuned for more on this…

Me, Cosette and Dominic - circa 2005

And I’m gonna end it here for today. I really wish that I could share more pictures and my vlogging with you - but I guess we’ll both have to be patient and wait until I get better wifi!

Until tomorrow,
-T