Tag: 2025
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Téléphérique De Brest -The Flat Fellas Flew Across The Penfeld River In A Cable Car
#flathal #flatstanley #brest #france Having enjoyed the view from the cable car in Barcelona, Spain, the flat fellas decided to give the cable car in Brest a chance. This one is a short hop across a river, part tourist attraction, part public transportation. The ride was short, and the views a bit anticlimactic after Barcelona……
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Flat Hal and Flat Stanley Visited Brest in Brittany, France
#flathal #flatstanley #brest #france Château de Brest, a castle in Brest, France, is the oldest monument in the town. At the mouth of the river Penfeld the site has over 1700 years of history! If we visit the earliest towns or colonial sites in The United States or Canada they have closer to 500 years…
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Porto, Portugal, In The Rain
#flathal #flatstanley #porto #portugal Rain looks fantastic in photos — when it is off on the horizon, adding interest to the sky, and mood and character to the image. When the downpour is right on top of you suddenly the camera wants to focus on the raindrops, the sky looks grey (like in our photo…
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Livraria Lello has actively embraced the legacy of “The Little Prince”
#flatstanley #flathal #thelittleprince #livrarialello The Flat Fellas Found The Backroom, On The Ground Floor Of Livraria Lello. As we have since learned, with help from Gemini AI: In recent years Livraria Lello has acquired rare artifacts, partnered with the author’s foundation, created dedicated exhibition spaces, and published special editions. Livraria Lello celebrates the book’s themes…
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Livraria Lello – A Beautiful Bookstore!
#flathal #flatstanley #livrarialello #porto #portugal There are a lot of lists online of bookstores … whether they call them “greatest”, “most beautiful” or something else along those lines, Livraria Lello in Porto often appears alongside another store we visited this trip. El Ateneo Grand Splendid in Buenos Aires. Where El Ateneo was large, with a vast…
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The flat fellas visited the second largest city in Portugal — Porto
#flathal #flatstanley #porto #portugal #leixoes The itinerary said Leixões (Porto). The first thing Flat Hal and Flat Stanley set out to understand is why two places were listed — and how far apart they are. It got a little more interesting when it was announced we were being offered a shuttle to Matosinhos. A third…
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Lisbon, Portugal,When Reality Intruded
#flathal #flatstanley #lisbon #portugal Flat Hal and Flat Stanley have been traveling for roughly 95 days, and today reality and normal life refused to stay out of their trip. Spain, Portugal and part of France had a major power failure. Millions of people were without power. Less than two hours after we arrived in Lisbon,…
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Cadiz, Spain —Where The Flat Fellas Came To Understand Why The Canary Islands “Fit” With Spain
#flatstanley #flathal #cadiz #spain Cadiz is a beautiful beach community of over 100,000 people. Fun to walk around, Cadiz has the same peaceful vibe and relaxed/comfortable and inviting feel/culture as the flat fellas found in Arrecife. Cadiz offered a chance to enjoy fantastic weather and marvel at incredible buildings Like the golden-domed cathedral. Flat Hal…
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A Visit To Castell de Sant Marçal, in Cerdanyola del Vallès outside Barcelona, Spain
#flathal #flatstanley #barcelona #spain An overnight port of call in Barcelona started with the flat fellas venturing a little ways out of town to Castell de Sant Marçal. In many respects this first stop set the tone for our time in the Catalan Capital. The building was impressive, with lots of eye-catching stonework. The castle…
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Europa Point Lighthouse, Gibraltar
#flatstanley #flathal #gibraltar On the way to Europa Point Lighthouse we rounded a corner and a giant, manmade waterfall emerged from the rock of Gibraltar! Flat Hal and Flat Stanley were delighted with the sight their guide had warned them to watch for. This water is the waste water (brine) discharged from a desalination plant…
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The Flat Fellas Saw The Hassan II Mosque
#flathal #flatstanley #morocco #casablanca One of the most magnificent mosques in the world is in Casablanca, Morocco. Built partially over the Atlantic Ocean… there’s a section where you can look through a glass floor to the ocean below! A tall minaret, a peaceful courtyard, this mosque offers a place for approximately 100,000 people to gather.…
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Agadir, Morocco Port Area…
#flathal #flatstanley #agadir #morocco A flock of seagulls were hanging out on the pier opposite our ship, along with two Grey Herons. The flat fellas wondered if the birds were people watching, then they noticed how our ship’s thrusters turned up the water as we pushed away from the pier. Several of the gulls (Yellow-Legged…
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The Flat Fellas Couldn’t Resist Doing A Little Bird Watching In The Canary Islands
#flatstanley #flathal #canaryislands #birds #arrecife Having heard canaries were named after the Canary Islands where the birds were first seen, and are native, Flat Hal and Flat Stanley decided to keep their eyes peeled in Arrecife, with hopes of spotting one. The temperature was wonderful, the sun was out… there wasa strong wind, but otherwise…
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The Flat Fellas Saw Some Fun Birds At The Port Of Banjul
#flatstanley #flathal #banjul #thegambia #birdwatching
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Flat Hal and Flat Stanley Visit Republic of The Gambia
#flathal #flatstanley #africa #thegambia This beautiful sunrise owes some thanks to particles in the air. At first glance it seemed like it was a hazy day, and something that appeared to be smoke occasionally came in on the wind. Later we heard dust from the Sahara was definitely in the air. There were times it…
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Flat Hal and Flat Stanley enjoyed an eight hour adventure away from the ship on the island of Santiago, Cabo Verde.
#flathal #flatstanley #caboverde #africa @hollandamericaline Their guide did a remarkable job sharing his home country with a diverse group of visitors, explaining the spirit of community and teamwork that helps their villages and nation thrive. Showing how they slowly and steadily build, improve, and make progress. Giving beautiful examples of how they value what is…
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The People Of Cabo Verde Reuse, Reclaim, and Recycle… Buildings Included
#flatstanley #flathal #caboverde #africa The Flat Fellas saw an interesting building from the colonial era of Cabo Verde. It’s use has changed over the years, as has its name, but it still stands… a hundred and fifty years after it was built? (Hmm. It was built in 1874, looks like that rough math is about…
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The Flat Fellas Ventured Up Monte Verde
#flatstanley #flathal #caboverde #africa #monteverde It is when the rain comes that Cabo Verde “turns green”. During the dry months they rely on cisterns, desalination plants and water drawn up from 95-100 feet underground. At the top of the mountain, where the clouds meet the land, we saw this interesting method for drawing water from…
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Flat Hal and Flat Stanley Visited Mindelo, São Vicente, República de Cabo Verde
#flatstanley #flathal #caboverde #africa The flat fellas learned a lot by visiting Cabo Verde off the west coast of Africa. First, this former Portuguese colony gained independence in 1975 — however, they do prefer the Portuguese name of their country, not the Cape Verde many are taught. Until quite recently Portuguese was the language of…
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Taking A Moment To Look Back…
Having started in Florida, Flat Hal and Flat Stanley sailed from the Caribbean through the Panama Canal, down the Pacific, around the southern tip, and up the Atlantic, including an unforgettable journey up the Amazon, giving them the opportunity to experience South America from nearly every angle – a virtual circumnavigation of the Continent. From…
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The Flat Fellas Saw Some Of The Animals That Live On Île Royale
#flatstanley #flathal #devilsisland #frenchguiana Flat Hal and Flat Stanley Briefly Touch French Guiana French Guiana, on the North East coast of South America, feels quite unique. Its capital is Cayenne, located near the coast. Flat Hal and Flat Stanley learned a bit about its history with France – after centuries as a colony, including the…
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The Itinerary Said Devils Island, French Guiana
#flatstanley #flathal #devilsisland #frenchguiana Îles du Salut is a collection of three islands — Île Royale, Île Saint-Joseph, and the most infamous, Île du Diable (Devil’s Island) — off the coast of French Guiana. Today Flat Hal and Flat Stanley visited Île Royale, the easiest one of the three islands to visit. Île Royale doesn’t…
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The Flat Fellas Ship Crossed The Bar With 4 Meters Of Water Below It.
#flathal #flatstanley #amazonriver Crossing the Bar – The Amazon River We just ‘crossed the bar’ again! First, we crossed it to get into the Amazon River. Today, we crossed it to get back out to the ocean. The flat fellas wanted to know: What is this ‘bar’? With help from Google’s Gemini AI: What does…
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The Flat Fellas Last Stop In The Amazon — Alter do Chão, Brazil
#flatstanley #flathal #amazonriver #alterdochao Alter do Chão is famous for its beautiful river beaches and relatively clear waters, offering a chance to swim in the Amazon. Though, to be clear, people are actually swimming in the water of the Tapajos River before it merges with the muddier Amazon River, but for those who want to…
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Parintins Brazil Is Not Just Another Town On The Amazon River
#flathal #flatstanley #parintins #amazonriver #brazil When traveling it can be hard to remember where all we have been, and sometimes Flat Hal will need Flat Stanley to help him remember if something they saw was in Buenos Aires or Rio De Janeiro, for example. Traveling for several months means a lot of experiences are all…
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The Flat Fellas Sailed By A Floating Village!
#flathal #flatstanley #amazonriver #brazil Sailing the Rio Negro towards the Amazon we passed a floating village some of our fellow passengers visited during our time in Manaus. Those passengers came back with stories of a school boat, floating houses, smaller rivers for roads… a different way of life than Flat Hal and Flat Stanley are…
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Flat Hal and Flat Stanley Brought Something To Share With New Friends
Twice, so far, during our journey the flat fellas have had the opportunity to leave a little something behind as a small “thank you” to local school kids for their communities welcoming our ship and letting us learn about their country during our visit. Flat Stanley brought copies of his original adventure, and Flat Hal…
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Flat Hal and Flat Stanley have sailed 850 milesfrom the Atlantic Ocean
What have you heard about the Amazon Rainforest? If you could visit the Amazon what would you be most interested in seeing? The animals? Birds? Trees? Flowers? Fish? Life on the Amazon When you build a home on a river that can rise by as much as 30 feet building it on stilts so the…
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Manaus is a big city full of character
#flatstanley #flathal #manaus #amazonriver The flat fellas were really impressed by the gigantic murals that covered an entire side of a high rise building. With vibrant colors, striking art, and images that drew the eye from great distances these works of creativity gave the city a more personal touch. Is there something in your community…
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Casa da Cultura de Pernambuco
#flathal #flatstanley #recife #brazil As tourists, we might feel comfortable making jokes, but Flat Hal and Flat Stanley were aware that this “House of Culture” once housed criminals as a prison, and the very small stalls selling handicrafts were once home to 8 to 10 people regretting the choices that brought them to that cell,…
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Capela Dourada within the set of buildings of the Convent and Church of Santo Antônio
#flatstanley #flathal #recife #brazil Churches can be a wonderful place to see the art and craftsmanship of a region. (Synagogues and Mosques as well.) Flat Hal and Flat Stanley saw a lot of beautiful work in Olinda and Recife. The flat fellas learned how Brazil got its name! Not wanting to get this wrong, Flat…
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Historic Recife and Olinda
#flathal #flatstanley #olinda #recife #brazil The flat fellas took a bus tour around town and saw a lot of sights. Some days you see so much, and hear so much information you can only hope you learned at least half of it. If we are really lucky, more. Let’s see what the flat fellas came…
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Maceio, Brazil
#flathal #flatstanley #egret #brazil Flat Hal and Flat Stanley spent the afternoon down near the pier watching the birds… for a while it looked like the great egrets were going to try and claim the fishing boats as their own. The tide has a range of about eight feet in Maceio, which is why some…
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Do you enjoy sketching, drawing or painting?
#flathal #flatstanley #painting #drawing #photography Photography is how I capture where I have been, to help create memories, but others sketch, draw or paint pieces. Some people work from a photograph… these images were made by apps on my tablet based on photo I took in Armação dos Búzios
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The Flat Fellas were intrigued in Armação dos Búzios
#flathal #flatstanley #buzios #brazil In Rio de Janeiro the flat fellas knew they wanted to see the famous statue up on the mountain overlooking the city. Some cities have a famous landmark or location that a person looks forward to seeing. Is there somewhere you dream of visiting? Neither Flat Hal nor Flat Stanley arrived…
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Rio’s Beautiful Creative Side
#flathal #flatstanley #rio #brazil The flat fellas really liked the art on the sides of the buildings near the pier. Some of it had a more realistic look to the facial features, blended with some really fun color. Other pieces were more along the lines of line art. Simple, yet beautiful. Each seemed to be…
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Rio de Janeiro Bird Sightings
#flathal #flatstanley #rio #brazil As the ship made its way towards Rio the flat fellas alternated between seeing how the path of the ship gave them a different view of the Christ the Redeemer statue and looking at the birds that were flying around. A flock of Brown Boobies were on the water along the…
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Sunrise sail in to Rio de Jainero, Brazil
#flathal #flatstanley #riodejainero #brazil As we sailed in to Rio de Jainero, a beautiful, if somewhat subtle, sunrise welcomed us. The sunrise was “out to sea” compared to the city we were approaching, but the increasing light, and the changing angles of the sun almost made the skyline look like a present that was being…
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Buenos Aires Bird Sightings — Parakeets in one of the parks
#flatstanley #flathal #buenosaires #birding Learning about Birds in South America Flat Hal and Flat Stanley are starting to appreciate my attitude of let’s photograph every bird we can, we never know what we will discover when we look back through the photographs. Two of the birds we saw in Buenos Aires were so similar to…
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Buenos Aires, Argentina — 16th largest city in the world — Over 13 million inhabitants
#flatstanley #flathal #buenosaires #argentina The size of Buenos Aires might account for why two days were planned for our visit to this port city, and national capital. On one of those days the flat fellas took the hop on hop off bus. This is a bus with a route around the highlights of the city,…
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Sea Days — Two In A Row
#flatstanley #flathal #cruise The flat fellas have been traveling for over 45 days. In the beginning Sea Days were like an average Saturday. A break from the week, chores and homework. A chance to play games, have fun, and not worry about when all aboard time is. But as the trip gets longer sea days…
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Life is full of opportunities…
#flathal #flatstanleyproject I have been trying to improve my photography for a while. Experimenting with what looks good to me, trying to see if I can capture images that remind me of a postcard, or a painting. next time you draw something, or take a picture, pause a moment, give the details a little extra…
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East Falkland Island… An Island Without Trees?
#flatstanley #flathal #falklandislands Our guide drove us around for almost half an hour. During that time he explained the Falkland Islands is an interesting place to live in part because they have no native trees. There are plants growing low to the ground for animals to graze on. And a berry that is endemic (remember…
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Gentoo Penguins in the Falkland Islands
#flathal #flatstanley #falklandislands Very near where the King Penguins were hanging out was the colony of Gentoo Penguins. Small white flags were stuck in the ground to let human visitors know where the constantly shifting boundary we should not cross was at the moment. This is the penguins territory, we may visit it so long…
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The Flat Fellas Visit Port Stanley in the Falkland Islands
#flatstanley #flathal #falklandislands The Falkland Islands have been a British Overseas Territory since 1833, but in 1982 Argentina tried to claim the Falkland Islands. This led to a 10 week war. Looking at the map, the Falkland Islands are close to Argentina… but that doesn’t mean the British didn’t send help when it was needed.
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Scenic Sailing In Antarctica Was Inspiring
#flathal # flatstanley #antarctica Antarctica is a continent with no First Nations or Indigenous people, no “natives” to stand up for it, protect it, and tell others about it. A program called Antarctica Ambassadors has been started for people who want to learn about Antarctica, and share that knowledge with others… are you interested? Flat…
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Is Tourism In Antarctica Good Or Bad?
#flatstanley #flathal #antarctica This might sound like a simple question, but for us, it required a lot of thought. Flat Hal and Flat Stanley were invited to join an already planned trip, so they missed those initial discussions over a year ago. We chose to visit on a ship that would not offer landing options.…
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Scenic Cruising in Antarctica
#flatstanley #flathal #antarctica Flat Hal and Flat Stanley had a fantastic last day of scenic cruising in Antarctica. When we first stepped outside to take photos it was snowing— leading to interesting attempts to get the camera to focus on the white landscape and animals with a lot of white in them. The sun came…
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Flat Hal and Flat Stanley Saw an Albatross
#flathal #flatstanley #antarctica Samuel Coleridge Taylor wrote a story called “The Rime of the Ancient Mariner.” It left such an impression on readers that people started using the expression “an albatross around his neck”. For a time, sailors viewed seeing an Albatross as a sign of bad luck, mostly because of this story, but now…
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Day 3 Antarctica Showed the Flat Fellas Another Side of Itself
#flatstanley #flathal #antarctica Having seen moody and overcast, and bright, vibrant sunshine, day three offered dense fog and mist. For most of the day it seemed impossible to identify the horizon, the water bleeding into the mist. The flat Fellas spent part of the day looking through photographs we had already taken, and working on…