Day 21 - Sat - 11/22/2025 - Ponta Delgada

 This voyage we were docked at the cruise terminal which is the closest location to the city.  The ship arrived before 7am but we didn't arise until 8:30am.  After dressing, I looked out our balcony window and saw that the Holland America ship, Nieuw Amsterdam, was berthed across the harbor from us.  They are also on a trans Atlantic crossing after its European cruising season.  We've cruised on that ship around 6 weeks in total over the years including the inaugural cruise from Civitavechia to Fort Lauderdale and Boston to and around Iceland and back to Boston.    I noted to our room steward that our sink and shower were draining slowly,  After breakfast, we headed out around 9:30am to hike up the hill to the first museum.  Along the way we happened on a thrift store and went in.  Downstairs we encountered a lady who was a passenger on the Nieuw Statendam and we chatted quite a bit with her.  We didn't t end up purchasing anything, but the shop was interesting and we learned that the nearest 2nd hand store was at least a 20 minute drive away. 

We found the Mercado (market) which is housed in a very nice covered building.  It was clean and a neat and very busy.  The most striking thing we saw there were the very large green and yellow peppers.  Otherwise it had the typical fruit, vegetables, meats, fish, and the like that we've seen in other markets.





From the Mercado, we walked up to the main museum (Carlos Marchado - Nucleo de Santo Andre) which is housed in a former convent.  The entry fee was 1€per person. It houses a natural history museum with all sorts of stuffed creatures ranging from insects to birds to land animals and fish.  These are displayed on several floors.  Across a courtyard is the bulk of the former convent which was donated to the city in the 1950's.  A number of artifacts are on display and the main chapel has been preserved.



Organ

Leopard seal

Nunnery altar


Leaving this museum, we found the next museum which was the archeological museum.  It unfortunately was closed, so we walked to the third museum which was the sacred art museum and church.  The entry fee here was also 1€ per person.  The contemporary artist collection was housed in the dark and the torches (flashlights) didn't have enough power to effectively view it. So we crossed the lobby entrance to the small collection of sacred art.  But the real gem was the elaborately carved altar of the church.  These were all done in the 1700's and are among the most ornate we've seen around the world.  




Leaving the museum, we wandered down to the core of the shopping area where we admired some of the early Christmas decorations.  The Christmas market was not yet open.  We found a Subway and decided to try it for lunch.  It was good.  Armed with nutrition, we continued our walk.  We weren't able to visit the main church as it was in use and when we returned, it was locked.  So we strolled along the waterfront and spotted a vendor selling roasted chestnuts.  So I purchased some and we enjoyed the last of the roasted chestnuts for this season.  We strolled back to the ship and boarded around 2:45 for our 3:30pm required onboard time.  



Our onboard time came and went.  There were a large number of guests returning from what were probably bus tours.  Finally around 3:45pm the crew reboarded the ship and the Captain came on with his departure announcement.Shortly afterwards, the ship thrusters moved us away from the dock and the ship's horn played a shortened version of the Love Boat theme.  We left the harbor and made a sharp 180 turn to the starboard (right) and sailed off towards the setting sun.  


After our LIDO dinner, we went to the Princess Theater an hour early to get good seats. A lady from California sat next to us and we enjoyed some great conversation before the show about non-rev flying as she flew non-rev to the ship.  The show tonight was the cast show of 5 Skies about a video game.  It's very good and we've now seen it twice.  Afterwards we adjourned to a booth on Deck 6 Piazza area behind the photo studio operation to listen to the World Orchestra perform.  They were very good and sitting in the booth dampens the sound a bit.  Angela was tired and returned to the room and I stayed in the booth viewing YT videos.  Suddenly I received a message that she got her second wind, and I met her in the Princess Live venue to late night kareoke.  Afterwards we returned to our stateroom.  There I noted that the drain was working much better, but there was now a leak under the sink.  We'll note that to our room steward to be fixed.


Tomorrow is the first of 4 sea days until we reach Bermuda.  It's also a Sunday, so we'll plan to attend the interdenominational church service first thing in the morning which means we'll have to wake up in the morning at 7:30am in order to have breakfast.  Such is life at sea. . .


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