Portugal/Spain and other excursions

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Travel Blog – France #3

So I have been avoiding writing in the blog because I promised the next blog entry would be about my Spain/Portugal trip. Hmmm remind me not to do that again; I just end up not writing at all if I feel like I HAVE to write about something in particular. Well I am still going to try about the trip and I will add a few more as well. The commentary will not be as good 2 months later but MEH its my blog I can do what I want.

Portugal

Lisbon- even though it took us an hour to find (after asking a tired cranky me asking about 15 people who had no idea what I was on about because I can’t speak Portuguese) our hostel was the best. Friendly staff, excellent location overlooking a monumental square, and cool guests (Mr Flemish man, you were funny, especially when you kept making Maura repeat herself and making fun of German people…. Sorry German people in the bunks next to us, we joke because we love). Yeah we definitely enjoyed ourselves in Lisbon. What did we do? We relaxingly enjoyed our active adventures. What does that mean? Well basically we didn’t stress ourselves by making a down to the minute itinerary. We would just pick something each day and do it and we ended up seeing everything we wanted. So it worked out really well. We were pleased with ourselves. More pleased than punch. As pleased as Santa on Boxing Day. Of course during these outings we took awesome photos including our debut awkward senior photo shoots and flat toni adventures to add to our regular strange photos. The best for this was the Sintra castle. The castle itself was not the most spectacular- in fact it pretty small- but the grounds were excellent! They were huge and filled with “secret” trails (no but seriously there were unlit underground trails and a hole of doom). Cascais, the beach town, was also nice but we basically only hung out at the beach to swim/read.

Train to Spain- yeah overnight train, with no sleepers left, that was full, drinking the worst wine – juice boxes ever (aka battery acid) with cheese and crackers for dinner, sitting RIGHT next to a baby. You get the picture, you really don’t need to see it as our faces were really not pretty.

Spain

ESPANA- we can espeak your language! Why do you have so many churches? Do you guys really need another gold encrusted wall of saints or momument of the virgin? Really and now you are charging me 7 euros to see this? Maura and I were too struck by the grandeur of Toledo. It was too much- it was like they were saying HA look at the Catholic church and our money now give us more less than they were saying this is a place of God. I had never felt that way in a church/cathedral before and I did not like it. I think I understand Luther a little more now. Anyway we did have some super experiences in Madrid though. We ate tapas together at night (Do not go before 8pm or you are a freak!), we loved the Reina Sofia Art museum of modern art, and playing cards with our new hostel friends (inside the basement of a disco… they thought we were very strange but we did not mind at all). Sadly this is where Maura had to leave me ☹ and go back to the United States. I guess some people get jobs in the States instead of abroad and can’t travel all the time…. sucks for those people. I took the flight to Toulouse that same day (see travel blog 2 for first few weeks).

Tousaint vacation (last week in Oct to First week in Nov)

One week in Toulouse to work on applications for grad school (see travel blog 4)

Lyon again for another few days. This time I was able to meet more of Pascale’s extended family. We had another MASSIVE 7 course meal, which took a couple days for us to prepare. I got to cut a million onions (no Pascale I did not mind at all because the food was delicious). This time we had a nice walk around Lyon. No shopping just a nice stroll with wonderful people (her friend joined us) and a cup of hot chocolate. You know the kind of thing that make you happy you are in France for a few more months because you know you can come back and do it again.

England revisited
Well I was supposed to go to school on that Thurs but since I would have to return for 1 day AND I found a super cheap ticket to see Jo AND I had been doing all these extra hours anyway, I went to England again. Got my stuff too, which was nice! Jo and I had a blast together. Geology class- let me tell you haven’t lived till you’ve experienced it- okay that’s a bit exaggerated but it was a good class and Jo is a good teacher. I gave the student who was not there a stern note on his exam about his absence but I took really good notes for him so he’s probably better off. I took a walk in the afternoon and had tea with a random Pakistani dude. Then ballroom dancing!!!! Oh I missed it so much. I felt pretty advanced as I had done the dances before and could help some of the guys. I also practiced leading with Jo, who was looking good on the dance floor. Bonfire night aka British 4th of July so a town firework show was on Friday. Saturday we say the stately Cambridge. I felt like I was in the middle of a 19th century book walking around the grounds of the University of Cambridge. Cheerio! The traditional food and the 14th century pub made the day picture perfect. Dude the pub even had a fireplace and crooked walls. It was legit. Don’t mess with Britain –it's got class.

Oh my flight home I had a few hours in Carcassonne, but Marta and Pilar couldn’t come explore with me as the trains were still not running properly with the strikes. It’s a pretty medival town on a hill so I will return. Ha I am sure you cannot wait.

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