Woke up early again but knew that today i can lie in as i will need to be prepared by 10am as the depertment driver will be picking me up to meet the Director ... so its an important meeting and its first impressions that last ... and so i planned a full dress-up of what best i got with me ... without the tie ... that will be reserved for more important occassion if it ever arises.
I could here activity in the house ... in the bathroom and in the kitchen ... so i simply stuck in bed and finished the last part of yesterday's blog ... in fact pushed it online already. At some point i could hear the front door open and close, then the gate open and close ... and then silence! Fantastic the house was free all for myself ... i can feel at ease while i have some b'fast and use the bathroom.
A long refreshing shower and a slow meticulous shave took a good 45 minutes while i thought out what stuff i need to take over with me. Had some cereal for b'fast and prepared some tea as a digestive trigger ... it worked :)
The grey shirt needed ironing and so i quickly found out where the iron board and iron were stored downstairs in the dining room. While the iron warmed up i also found where the shoe polish was stowed away in the landing on the first floor ... fantastic i can shoe-shine my black shoes. The shirt looked nice and ironed while the shoes were restored to a good presentable condition ... definitely not comparable to my dear Ecco's.
Its nearly 10am ... time to start wearing stuff ... black socks, grey shirt, dark grey trousers, shinny black shoes, and a full-head clean shave ... that's the best i can do ... thank God the suitcase arrived yesterday. All set, i open the front door and wait for the driver to turn up. In the meantime i check that i have all the stuff i required ... laptop + power pack, mobile + USB connection to download pictures, paperwork, wallet + passaport, pencil case and apple for lunch.
At precisely 10.30am the same driver that picked me up from the airport, Jao, honked the horn outside the house. I grabbed my stuff, now conveniently placed in a small paper bag i found in the living room, and locked the front door behind me. 'Bom Dia' i shouted as i approached the car, that triggered a smile from Jao. The drive to the department was of interest to me as i will be walking there from today onwards when based in Horta. As soon as we went past the harbour i could set my bearings as i knew the place well. Further on past the place i found wifi reception yesterday evening next to Banif was new territory for me and so started memorising the new route.
The department is set in a beautiful and pictoresque area on the other side of Horta with a nicely sized public garden right infront of it. The new building has been refurbished 18 months ago from what used to be a hospital. I was impressed by the modern setting within the building and was looking forward to meet the director as Jao guided me throught the white-washed corridors and stainless-steel railings giving the whole place a space shuttle feel. At the second level we reached the Director's office and ask the secretaries in the opposite office to announce my arrival ... just in time for Prof.Riccardo Sanctos to exit from his office and meet me right in the corridor.
The office was just as simplistically finished as the building itself ... we welcomed each other and sat at one corner of the office which had two cube-like armchairs adjacent a square table in the corner forming an L-shape formation. We spoke of my possible work there at DOP while different and interesting activities were discussed.
The cruise that was to leave this Friday was commissioned by a research project from the University of Lisbon, and so i was to join this short expedition to the island of Terceira and perform geological work together with the researcher and his technician. The vessel will be out at sea and the then will berth within the harbour at Terceira ... so we had to sleep on board the ship for the four nights.
The tour around the department started and took approximately half an hour as the director ensured i meet all those who were not away for holidays and explaining the work of each person. Numerous researchers reading PhDs and Masters were at their desks, while other post-Docs and technicians were in labs and at their machines analysing data. When in full swing the department houses over a 100 persons from different parts of the world ... i met Portugese, Spanish, German, Dutch, Belgian, Italian, Irish and Indian people.
Of much more interest was the loction where i can set a base during my stay here ... so on the 3rd level in an open area for research students the director identified a free desk and space which i could use ... desk, power supply and a network patch ... suits me perfectly :) I lay down my stuff and connected the laptop ... checked Google website and was pleased to appear signifying a successful connection. Thanked the director and off he went as he informed me that he will be back around 1pm to go for lunch ... i'm game.
The next 90 minutes were quickly consumed replying to email and browsing around mainly to find a local Voda shop to pruchase an Internet key as i won't have Internet access once i step on the vessel. A bit before 1pm the director came over to fetch me and off we went together with his son, and senior employee who works at the department ... her job is to coordinate the busy schedule of the two vessels the department has at sea all through the year ... so good job she's coming as i could further enquire into the upcoming trip.
As we drove out of the department down to the harbour area the director conveniently showed me where the Voda shop was and proceeded to main hub of Horta harbour ... right where i have been going around for these last two days. We parked right at centre of the harbour where the department has its old premises and which are not used by the diving section of the same department.
Lunch was planned at the most notorious place around ... Peter's Sports Cafe ... an old cafe that Peter's son currently manages and which survives the reputation created by his late father. I read about this place on the plane and was recommended by both the guys at the house and the diving guys yesterday. The setting is typical of a well-throdded place by sailor of all generations and nationality, all leaving their flag behind as a memento, while others left notes to each other as they knew that eventually they would go there ... way before SMSes were around :)
The food was very good and reasonably priced even though the director swiftly paid the bill as he walked to the cashier before i could finish my espresso ... which i needed as it was too much food for lunchtime.
As we walked back to the car we stopped by at the divers section and was introduced to the guys there who were preparing for the afternoon dive as part of the Carelpa control project. This vegetation threat has already taken over the mediterranean seabed and has been threatening the Azorian islands for some time now. These guys attempt to control it by destroying as much bio-mass as possible. I will potentially be joining them on return from the cruise.
Next stop, by car, was next to the vessel itself ... Arcipelago ... an approximate 20m fishing vessel that was used for research purposes. I met 3 guys from the 7-strong crew members and was taken for a tour of the boat ... looking forward to this experience.
On the way back to the department i was dropped by the Voda shop and managed to purchase an Internet key and some 20hrs of credit. Walked back to the department ... not too far ... but uphill and in the sun ... so was sweating like a pig.
Sorted the paperwork for Friday and was told that departure was in the evening to be on location Saturday morning. Back to my desk, email and several websites. I had to figure out the shortest route back home as well as upload some pictures to the blog ... getting there.
At around 5pm i started preparing to leave armed with a memorised google map of the route to take ... grabbed my stuff, cleared my desk and set of for the journey.
Was glad to get home as the shortest route turned up to be mainly uphill and in the sun ... so i was sweating again like a stinking pig ... as my previous sweat had dried up leaving an unpleasant stink. Nobody at the house and so was relieved to shower in peace and relax on the sofa to write the blog and distracted by the tv in the living room ... some tea and a biscuit ... try the Internet key ... damn can't get it to work.
The others turn up ... time to make a move ... will finish this tomorrow morning and post.
It was too late to go out so decided to stay in and watch TV ... until it was time to go to sleep.
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