January 17-31, 2025
Lofoten and Oslo, Norway: PhotoPills photo workshop
In the Lofoten archipelago inside the Arctic Circle: auroras, villages of red wooden houses, mountains that drop directly into the ocean, weather surprisingly like Boston except for so much more wind. At the start, sunrise was 10:30am, sunset at 2:15pm. On January 25, our last full day in Lofoten, day had already lengthened by more than an hour, sunrise at 9:55 and sunset at 2:45.
In Oslo, we recuperated from the late nights looking at magnificent auroras. We visited museums and saw Verdi’s Otelo at the opera.
Zenfolio photo gallery https://honeycreeper.zenfolio.com/norway_jan2025
April 16-29, 2025
Tomar, Porto, Aveiro, Obidos: Exploring Portugal with Pam’s sister
We visited the Templar castle in Tomar, sampled Ferreira port wines in Porto, took a gondola tour of the Aveiro canals, and enjoyed the medieval ambience of Óbidos. We also experienced the big power outage on the day we returned from Óbidos, getting stuck in downtown Lisboa by the bus station while we figured out how to get home.
June 8-20, 2025
Concert in Estoril: High Flight, music for solo flute performed by Peter H. Bloom
After Peter, Becky and Pam presented a concert of solo flute on June 14, we all explored Lisboa together.
The concert program was Bach, Gershwin, and three of solo pieces by Pam, sponsored by the Igreja Anglicana and International Women of Portugal.
July 15-31, 2025
Madeira, Portugal
ANIMUSIC conference in Funchal, exploring local culture and instrument making.
PhotoPills workshop, including Pico Ruivo, Pico do Arieiro, Fanal Forest.
September 26-30, 2025
São Miguel, Açores, Portugal
Portuguese with Anita: Portuguese language retreat.
October 21-24, 2025
Lisboa and environs
During our cousin’s visit to Portugal, we took her and her friend to a fado concert and joined them on an e-bike tour of Sintra and Cascais.
December 4-9, 2025
Algarve Photo Workshop with Francesco Gola
Sunrises and sunsets along the coast from Porches to Sagres.
Zenfolio photo gallery https://honeycreeper.zenfolio.com/algarve_dec2025
December 30, 2025-January 1, 2026
Almada historic district
We crossed the Rio Tejo on the ferry, part of the public transit system, and stayed two nights in a renovated historic guesthouse. We watched Lisboa’s New Year’s Eve fireworks from Almada’s clifftop, explored historic areas, and visited the Cristo Rei statue.
Zenfolio photo gallery https://honeycreeper.zenfolio.com/lisboafireworks2025-26