1. Terceira Island, from the plane just after dawn (before it broke down). Okay, this needs some explanation: apparently the military doesn't have planes that can fly straight from Norfolk, VA to Rota, Spain without having to refuel, so we stopped in the Azores for a pit stop. However, moments after this picture was taken...
2. The captain shut down the engines and muttered something about how "a light came on...we'll circle around and try again." Well, it turns out it was a pretty big problem, and to make matters worse in the process he had blown out three tires. So we were stuck in the middle of the Atlantic for a day before a replacement plane could get us. I got to spend some real quality time in the Lajes Field Terminal, the door to which is pictured above.
3. Terceira Island in the afternoon (one of my favorite pictures from the trip)
4. Lajes at night (scenic, eh?)
5. We were flown in to the Austin on a helicopter from Rota--here's a shot of Rota from the deck of the Austin
6. Yours truly in front of (well, next to) "The Rock" of Gibraltar
7. The more impressive African side of the straits of Gibraltar. In the foreground, MIDN 2/C Tiwali scrutinizes his index finger while MIDN 2/C Jernigan grins at one of MIDN 1/C Wharton's yarns.
8. The port of Málaga, Spain on the Costa del Sol
9. View from the Alcazaba (or, as the Spanish would have it, "La Alcathaba"), with the Austin in the distance
10. "La Manquita" cathedral ("Manquita" apparently means "the one armed lady," so called because it only has one tower. The money for the other tower purportedly went to fund the American Revolution), with the newly installed "Finger Wing"
11. La Manquita with the Finger Wing removed
12. Málaga from the top of the Alcazaba [I do apologize for all the pictures of the port of Málaga...I got a bit carried away here]
13. The Austin docked in Málaga
14. The Austin and the port, viewed from the hill below the Castillo Giberalfero
15. Sunset over Málaga, seen from the Castillo Giberalfero
16. Sand art at Torremolinos (sadly, the topless part of the beach is not visible in this picture). A few words on Torremolinos: this place is the biggest party town I've ever seen. As far as I can tell, it consists solely of bars and nightclubs...and is frequented by bevies of hot Spanish and other European women. Needless to say, we all had much fun in Torremolinos.
17. Alleyway in Granada (somehow I think it was more picturesque in person)
18. The old Moorish university in Granada
19. View of Andalusia from a hill near Granada (taken from the tour bus)
20. The Generalife Gardens outside of the Alhambra
21. The Alhambra palace, the most elaborate Moorish palace in Spain
22. The Generalife fountains, all of which are powered by aquaducts, with no pumps!
23. Carlos V's palace, which he never stayed in; apparently he was busy fighting Visigoths or some other such assailants and so he never made it back to Granada to enjoy his palace
24. Courtyard in the Alhambra
25. Flamenco dancing in Torremolinos. I promised a friend of mine that I'd try to see some Flamenco, so the next three pictures are my proof.
26. ditto
27. ditto
28. Inside la Manquita (after mass)
29. Southeast Málaga w/ the Austin
30. Málaga, with the fortifications between the Castillo and the Alcazaba in the foreground
31. CH-53 Sea Stallion helicopter taking off from the Austin's flight deck
32. The CIWS (Close-In Weapons System, which saves our butts from an incoming missiles, at least in theory) and radar tower at Sunrise
33. My buds in the EO division after Quarters (if they look tired, please keep in mind that it's 0700)
34. At the workcenter supervisor meeting, from left to right, IC1 Aikins, ETC Mylin, ET1 Slusher (my running mate), FC1 Otto, and ET2 Saul.
35. We approach La Côte d'Azur (the French Riviera)
36. The Southwest Riviera, with the Austin's "whip" RF antenna and boat deck in the foreground
37. The free water taxi to Cannes--every hour on the half hour
38. Funny Cannes sign; if you can't see it it says "PENSEZ A LA CHALEUR! NE LAISSEZ PAS VOTRE CHIEN DANS VOTRE VOITURE," which is funny enough in French but is horribly translated into English as "TAKE CARE OF THE HEAT! DO NOT LEAVE YOUR DOG IN THE CAR."