Portugal
Upon arriving in Lovely Lisbon, I have the great luxury of being picked up by Ana's mother, but not before giving an impromptu English lesson to a taxi driver at the bus stop! We make a detour on the way back so I can watch the sun set over the gorgeous city, all pastels, pink, blue and yellow!
The next morning is sleepy but exciting as we meet Gaelen and Ana at the airport and drive straight out of town on a random countryside adventure. Constant commentary and erratic driving from Ana's father keeps the journey interesting!
It was a big and day and we saw some amazing things, dramatic scenery and armies of hardworking old village women. We saw a chapel decorated with hundreds of human bones, stalks nesting on power-towers, multiple hill top castles, picnicked gazing upon the Spanish border, admired lime-washed villages with dark clouds as a back drop and felt the energy of an ancient stone formation (a kind of Portuguese Stone Henge). We spent the night in the tiny town called Erra.
The next morning we explored Erra and the industrious old ladies were still teeming about the place, pushing wheelbarrows, painting walls and tending the graves. We climbed over a wall and up into the church bell tower to gaze over the surrounding fields. Then off to see Ana's father's sculptural exhibition, including the numerous 'erotic' wood carvings.
That night was the exciting Festa De Santo Antonio - an all night street party in Lisboa centre. The winding cobbled streets were strewn with colourful decorations and streamers, filled with music and the scent of vendors selling sangria, beer and char-grilled sardines. Thousands of people were packed in laughing and dancing throughout what seemed to be the entire city. People pushed speakers out their apartment windows to create renegade dance stages all through the streets. As we sleepily watched the sunrise over the river everyone else was still partying - in the name of Saint Antonio.
The next day we chillaxed at the beach house in Sesimbre. Gaelen and I even ran out into the freezing cold water for a moment or two. Lying on the beach and walking along the seafront was a nice antidote to the busy few days before.
Finally we spent a day in Lisboa looking at its big statues and monuments along the harbour, enjoying the pretty streets, catching a fun and fast ye olde tram and then watching the passionate Fado artists in the busy nightlife district.
The next morning is sleepy but exciting as we meet Gaelen and Ana at the airport and drive straight out of town on a random countryside adventure. Constant commentary and erratic driving from Ana's father keeps the journey interesting!
It was a big and day and we saw some amazing things, dramatic scenery and armies of hardworking old village women. We saw a chapel decorated with hundreds of human bones, stalks nesting on power-towers, multiple hill top castles, picnicked gazing upon the Spanish border, admired lime-washed villages with dark clouds as a back drop and felt the energy of an ancient stone formation (a kind of Portuguese Stone Henge). We spent the night in the tiny town called Erra.
The next morning we explored Erra and the industrious old ladies were still teeming about the place, pushing wheelbarrows, painting walls and tending the graves. We climbed over a wall and up into the church bell tower to gaze over the surrounding fields. Then off to see Ana's father's sculptural exhibition, including the numerous 'erotic' wood carvings.
That night was the exciting Festa De Santo Antonio - an all night street party in Lisboa centre. The winding cobbled streets were strewn with colourful decorations and streamers, filled with music and the scent of vendors selling sangria, beer and char-grilled sardines. Thousands of people were packed in laughing and dancing throughout what seemed to be the entire city. People pushed speakers out their apartment windows to create renegade dance stages all through the streets. As we sleepily watched the sunrise over the river everyone else was still partying - in the name of Saint Antonio.
The next day we chillaxed at the beach house in Sesimbre. Gaelen and I even ran out into the freezing cold water for a moment or two. Lying on the beach and walking along the seafront was a nice antidote to the busy few days before.
Finally we spent a day in Lisboa looking at its big statues and monuments along the harbour, enjoying the pretty streets, catching a fun and fast ye olde tram and then watching the passionate Fado artists in the busy nightlife district.