Page 11 - AAA Northwest Ohio - AAA Now! May/June 2013

11 MAy/june 2013
TRAVELNow!
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My husband and I just returned from
vacationing on our very first Azamara Club
Cruise, sailing fromMiami to theWest Indies
on the AzamaraQuest. While this was our first
Azamara, it will most certainly not be our last. It
provided a unique and special travel experience.
As you read this article, picture only 750
passengers as compared to 3,500 passengers!
Here are just a few highlights from our “small
ship experience.”
First and foremost,
it is just so very
easy to get from
point A to B. The
casino, dining
room, specialty
coffee shop and
boutiques are all
on Deck 5. I love to walk in the morning and
there is a walking/jogging track outside on
Deck 10. I take full advantage of the spa and
hair salon when I am onboard a ship, because
it is wonderfully convenient (oh, and I deserve
it!) and that is all located on Deck 9.
The food choices on Azamara were amazing
and we took full advantage of all of them.
They have the traditional dining room, offering
really wonderful food and two Specialty dining
rooms, where the food and service was even
more amazing! In addition, the buffet is so
great for not only lunch, but dinner too. The
buffet offered different “themes” each evening
and we enjoyed sitting outside!
This is also a great opportunity to enjoy some
very nice wines. Each day was a different white
and red offering and complimentary with
lunch and dinner.
Unfortunately, I can’t fit even more of my
favorite things I enjoyed here because I am
only allowed 250 words! So, email me if you
have any other questions about Azamara or
anything travel!
And better yet, read all about and join me in
2014 on the Azamara Journey as we sail from
Barcelona to Lisbon!
Yours in travel,
smccloskey@aaanwohio.com
Sue's Corner
Sue McCloskey
Executive Vice President,
AAA Northwest Ohio
Sampling the Flavors of Iberia
Flavor influences all aspects of life on the
Iberian Peninsula, which comprises four
countries: Spain, Portugal, Andorra and the
British colony of Gibraltar. Whether indulging
in afternoon tapas or lingering over a three-
hour dinner, the culture of the Iberian Peninsula
recognizes mealtime as an opportunity to enjoy
life in this exciting region of the world.
The Catalan capital of Barcelona is known
not only as a global architectural and design
leader, it also offers a distinctive food culture.
Before exploring the city, travel down to the
Gothic Quarter, purchase churros y chocolate
(fried sticks of dough, sprinkled with cinnamon
and sugar, and a rich hot chocolate beverage)
and take a morning stroll through the
neighborhood. While La Boqueria Market in
Las Ramblas affords a local’s perspective on
grocery shopping, exploring the booths that sell
goods such as fresh fruit, meat, fish and cheese
is distinctively a Barcelona food experience.
Following a day of visiting Gaudi’s Casa Batlló or
Sagrada Família, try one of the city’s tapas bars.
For an exciting tapas experience, visit Ciudad
Condal, which serves excellent food such as a
luscious camembert crujiente and refreshing,
yet strong, sangria.
The small Spanish island of Menorca might
be lacking in size, though compensates with
its island charm. Culture in the Menorca capital
of Mahon, or Maó as the locals know it, calls
for slowing down to enjoy the town’s plazas,
filled with cafes, restaurants and markets,
including Mercat del Claustre del Carmen, which
is housed inside the old cloisters of Carmen
Church. Fresh seafood is popular on the island.
Resturante Can Bernat Des Grau serves a tasty
Lobster Caldereta (paella) and no trip to the
area would be complete without trying the
local Mahon cheese, which offers a
firm, dry texture and buttery, salty
flavor. Visitors who feel tempted to
try the local libations should visit the
Xoriguer Gin Distillery, located on the
harbor, providing a serene setting in
which to sample this local spirit.
Gibraltar, famous for its enormous
rock (a limestone monolith
promontory reaching 1,350 feet), is
a seaside town located at the end
of the Iberian Peninsula. Though
Gibraltar sits between Spain and the
Strait of Gibraltar, it is a British colony.
Travelers should visit the Barbary
macaques that live on the Rock of
Gibraltar. These are the only monkeys
that live outside of captivity in Europe. From the
top of the rock, visitors can take in spectacular
views of Morocco and Spain. Gibraltar also boasts
six beaches to relax, breathe in the sea air and
spend a few hours soaking up the subtropical
climate at a waterfront restaurant. At the
Gibraltar Public Market, local vendors sell fish,
fruit, vegetables and local Gibraltar cuisine. Fresh
fish is a central ingredient to meals in Gibraltar
and visitors have a large selection of seafood
restaurants from which to choose. La Mamela
offers a popular fish stew, calamari and grilled
sardines, which are perfect for sharing.
Lisbon, “A Cidade das Sete Colinas” (The City
Built on Seven Hills) provides the perfect starting
location for a Portuguese holiday. Madragoa, a
cozy Lisbon restaurant, serves typical Portugese
fare such as Butelo and Cod. The Lower Town,
Baixa, is a bustling region of Lisbon whose
buildings display neo-classical design and often
include azulejos, tiles that are typically found
in Portugese architecture. Take the tram 28 in
historic Bairro Alto, an area that has historically
served as an artist’s enclave. The town provides a
relaxing, carefree setting to walk through during
the day, though the evenings bring this area to
life. Live music bars provide the soundtrack for
the night in Bairro Alto and set the mood for
enjoying typical Portugese fare. A wide selection
of Portugese wine is available at The Pharmacy
and all are served by the glass, allowing patrons
to easily sample local varietals. Sip a red, such
as Vinha Grande or Barca Velha, from the Douro
region and listen closely for the faint melody of a
Fado performance in the distance.
JoinAAANorthwest Ohio and SueMcCloskey
aboard the Azamara Journey, May 27 – June 3, 2014
for a journey celebrating the flavors of this region.