In-flight, May 2025
Just a few photos of yesterday's flight:
Aircraft the Airbus A319-112, tail number CS-TTR, named "Soares dos Reis".
In-flight, May 2025
Just a few photos of yesterday's flight:
Orlando, September 2016
As I wrote in a previous post, despite the main goal of this trip to Florida was to visit the Kennedy Space Center, I spared two extra days to go to the beach. Why wouldn't I do that after an transatlantic crossing heading to Florida?
But... my friend had other ideas and convinced me going to the Universal theme parks. It took a long time to persuade me since I was not attracted, in my idea, to that kind of fun.
We bought tickets to the two contiguous parks of the Universal Orlando Resort: the Universal Studios Florida and the Universal Islands of Adventure.
Although the parks entrance are paid, you can explore the Universal CityWalk for free - there are shops, restaurants and entertainment areas.
We started exploring the Universal Studios Florida first. I didn't take many photos since I was more committed to have fun and enjoy the parks, which was totally a new experience for me. The park was crowded and we only had standard tickets without privileges to priority lanes. So we had to wait in line and make some choices of what we would like to see/experience.
I kept a record of the Rides we were taking but I'm not sure I wrote down them all:
Merritt Island, September 2016
Saturn V was the rocket that sent humans to the Moon. There are only three surplus Saturn V rockets on display that were left over at the end of the Apollo program.
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Saturn V
Saturn V was a three-stage rocket. The first stage (S-I) was powered by five massive F-1 engines;
Merritt Island, September 2016
This was a very much unexpected visit to Florida during one of my holiday periods for which I didn't plan anything but enjoy the comfort and peacefulness of my home. But a friend of mine suggested to go to Orlando and visit the Kennedy Space Center. His idea was to spend just two nights in Florida. I complained and fought that idea... I was not going to cross the Atlantic just to spend only a whole day in Florida - that was my day-to-day reality at work. So a couple of days more were added with the initial purpose of using them for sunbathing.
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Lisboa - Miami
The outbound flight was operated by the Airbus A330-223 with tail number CS-TOH, with the Star Alliance livery. This was an old aircraft, acquired second-hand from Austrian Airlines. Next to our aircraft was the Airbus A330-202 with special titles "#OlympicEmbrace/Together we are stronger" for the Rio 2016 Summer Olympics.
Kennedy Space Center's Visitor Complex is home to the Space Shuttle "Atlantis", its main highlight. However I will cover it on a next post.
The first open space you see after passing the entrance of the complex is the Rocket Garden, a display of rockets. All the programs that contributed to the epic journey to the Moon are represented in this "garden" - Mercury, Gemini and Apollo.
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KSC Bus Tour
Our tickets included a bus tour to the Kennedy Space Center, so we could see, from distance, the main launch platforms.
First, a glimpse on SpaceX's 39A hangar...
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Touch the Moon
Inside the Apollo/Saturn V Center, you can touch an actual Moon rock:
But before entering the Saturn V complex, we can feel the awe of being inside the Firing Room of the Apollo 8 mission, the first crewd mission that went to the Moon (but didn't land on it) - an immersive experience with lots of shaking!