Pictures of Portugal

Photos: from top: our friend Cesar and his delicious port, roast suckling pig, woman selling roast chestnuts in Coimbra, octopus drying on the beach in Nazare, tiles on a house in Sitio, two elderly women in traditional dress in Nazare, our friends Diogo and Teresa in Nazare, little Gabriela and older Elise - more friends from Nazare, Portuguese plates, Manueline architecture in Batalha, Nazare from our hotel balcony, fountain in front of Monastary Jeronimous in Belem, more Manueline architecture from the monastary, Chapel of Bones in Coimbra, the pregnant Virgin a church in Coimbra, Roman temple ruins in Coimbra, a fisherman on the cliffs at Sagres, and the beach at Salema.

Portugal part two

When last I wrote, we were driving to Nazare the next day. As it turns out, that is my most favorite place in Portugal! Nazare is a small (10,000 people) beach town that traditionally made it's living by fishing and now has added tourism to the mix. It is picture postcard pretty, with it's white buildings, red tile roofs, golden sand, looong beach, big surf and Oregon coast-like rocks. It is nestled in between two green hills. On top of the hill to the north sits the town of Sitio with it's town praca (plaza) and church, shops surrounding the praca and a hike to the lighthouse perched above the rocks. There is a funicular that connects the two towns most of the year, but during our stay it was undergoing maintenance so a shuttle bus drove the circular route up and back. We stopped to have coffee after our hike to the lighthouse and talked with an elderly woman who was doing needlepoint. With the help of my trusty dictionary, we shared handwork stories. She also knits and quilts! The restaurants serve mostly seafood but I had a delicious steak there. Also present in town are Portugal's elderly ladies in black; they have puffy skirts that in the past had a dozen petticoats that could be pulled around their arms, legs and torso to keep them warm as they waited on the beach for their husbands to come home from the sea.

We stayed 3 nights. On the firstday, Jon walked out to the beach and met Manual who was surfcasting. They discussed fishing experiences. The next day when we were in Sitio they met again where Manual was casting off the top of the 300 foot cliff next to the lighthouse. They had a great time talking and Manual even showed Jon pictures of his wife and children. On one of the days we drove to three nearby towns to see churches of historic importance. Batalha is the spot where the Portuguese army defeated the Spanish and drove them out of the land. A cathedral marks that event. A second cathedral in Alcobaca commemorates two lovers (one of whom was a prince who later became king) who were denied marriage. There is a rather grisly story that I won't go into here, but we HAD to see their tombs! Lastly, we visited Fatima where a famous miracle involving Mary appearing to three children occurred. She made three predictions (warnings) to the children in her first appearance in the early 1900s. Two came true quickly but the third only when an attempt was made to assassinate Pope John Paul. When he heard of the prediction, he visited Fatima and there is a statue memorializing his time there. There is also a shrine where the vision occurred, a basilica, and a newer, huge church. Pilgrims come from all over the world to visit this place, and we did too.

When we left Nazare, we went to Coimbra, home of the second oldest university in Europe. It was founded in the 1200s and still conducts classes and graduates students. There is a wonderful old library there with thousands of volumes of very old books. They are available to scholars by reservation. There is a great pastelaria on the pedestrian street in the Old Town area and you will see a picture of the pastries we just had to taste - Rick Steves made us do it! We also had a delicious dinner of roast suckling pig in the nearby town of Mealhada, renowned worldwide for this dish. Happily, our friend Tom Armitage emailed us in the nick of time to suggest we do this!

After Coimbra, we decided to forego Porto and to spend time in the Douro valley instead. This is where Portugal's famous, delicious port wine is produced. We stayed in a quinta, or vineyard, farmhouse near Peso de Regua where the owners rent 4 rooms as a B & B. We were the only ones there and so had a wonderful time being toured through the production system and getting to know them. Cesar and MariaElisa were extremely gracious hosts who became our friends. For our full day there, they mapped out a driving trip that took us up into the hills through the vineyards and to spectacular viewpoints. Of course we tried some of their port (several varieties!) and ended up going out to dinner together to celebrate the new friendship. Included is their picture and also one of the valley.

We have now left Portugal and have settled into a hotel room in Santiago de Compostela, in Spain. We are looking forward to seeing the great cathedral that we have heard so much about and to learning more about the thousands of pilgrims who come here every year. But we regret leaving Portugal. It is a nation of gentle people, great food and many beautiful places. We would love to come back.

Photos: from the top: Jon's friend Manual, our friends Cesar and MariaElisa, high above the Douro river, pastries in Coimbra, the church in Fatima, and Nazare from the overlook in Sitio.

Portugal

I haven't been able to post for a while, so now I have some catching up to do!

Sevilla was wonderful! We had some rain but mild temperatures so we were able to continue to do the things we wanted to do without a problem. We stayed in the Old Town and had a great hotel called the Amadeus - music and instruments throughout the hotel and lovely furnishings. We took a walking tour with a guide one morning which gave us a good understanding of the historical part of the city. We also went to a flamenco dinner show which was outstanding! We got seats right in front of the stage and in the middle! One false move on their part and one of the dancers might have been in our laps! We found a Starbucks (actually 3 of them) and met some nice Canadian tourists over coffee. The cathedral in Sevilla is beautiful and we spent some time touring it one afternoon. The stay in Sevilla lasted 3 nights and then we were off to Portugal.

We were very glad to get away from big cities for a while and the little seaside town of Salema was perfect. Unfortunately, the rain continued off and on. On the day we arrived it poured but the next day was beautiful - blue skies and all! We drove up into the hills to a little town called Monchique - gorgeous! Then we drove straight west and ended up at the Atlantic coast. It is rugged and beautiful. We drove south to the town of Sagres on the southwest tip of Portugal and then back to Salema - a day of fantastic sights. We moved to Sagres after 3 days in Salema. Henry the Navigator (remember your world history?) had his famous navigation school for Portuguese explorers here in the 14th. century. It was surprising to learn that he was not a seaman but instead a monk who was a scholar as well as a member of Portugal's royal family. We toured what is left of his facility and also the amazing bluffs nearby. The rain came back the next day and we curled up with our books and watched it come down.

Evora was our next stop and we stayed just outside the ancient walls of the old town - it was so close that we could walk into the main square in 15 minutes. We spent a full day there exploring the streets, plazas, churches and shops. It has an open and appealing feel to it, probably due to the fact that it is the largest city in the area and so has people from farms and tourists there regularly.

We are now in Sintra, just outside Lisbon. It has a great commuter train system into Lisbon and we chose to stay here rather than get lost in the big city. We have enjoyed the neighborhood of Belem - famous for it's pastries, monastery, and gigantic Monument to the Discoveries. Look for a photo of it when I post the next group of photos. We took trolley tours and today spent the afternoon at the Gulbenkian museum - one of the best I have ever been in! Tomorrow we are off to the north, to the seaside town of Nazare. So I'll continue this soon.

Photos: fishing boats pulled up for the moment in Salema, Jon talking to the fishermen, the lighthouse at St. Vincent cabo in Sagres, and a few of the flamenco dancers in Sevilla. And finally the picture of the Monument to the Discoveries - keep in mind that the figures you see are larger than life size and only a few are in this photo!

Southern Spain

Before totally leaving Granada, I would like to make it clear that we were living in a unique section of Granada and there are parts of the city that are as modern as Madrid. There are the big department stores, splashy restaurants and fancy hotels. We chose to stay in an area that we couldn't find elsewhere and because we did, we met our friend and landlord Rafa and several wonderful fellow travelers, including the family from St. Croix with whom we shared Christmas day fellowship.

When we left Granada, we traveled to the southern coast and opted for one of the smaller tourist towns, Nerja. It was a welcome relief - sunny and warm. Unfortunately, the great hotel we had booked was on a plaza that was being torn up and having pipes replaced and the jack hammers started working at 8:00 am. We made the best of it by leaving the hotel and going to the beach! The body of water there is the Mediterranean Sea and I had to wade in it for the first time! I have to say that it was NOT warm, but it was fun. We walked a beach trail as far as we could go and then used the street to walk to the largest beach. In summer it is packed with people but not in December. We had lunch at an outdoor beachfront cafe and then went back to the hotel. I need to tell you that we have adjusted to Spanish eating habits and now generally have breakfast at 10, lunch at 3 and dinner at 8. By the time we got back from the beach, the work on the plaza was almost finished for the day and we could have the evening in peace. The other major event in Nerja was that my regular email stopped working! We were very distressed, to say the least. I will spare you the drama we lived through (emotionally we NEED that connection with home); I will just tell you that we have it restored now and the problem had to do with strength of the internet service there.

After Nerja we traveled west along the coast to Tarifa. We stayed at a hotel highly recommended by our friends the Lagerloefs. It's called the Hurricane Hotel and is a haven for windsurfers, kitesurfers etc. because of it's constant surf and high winds. Again, the temperature was mild but the storm systems came through, one after another. Fortunately the hotel and its out buildings and vegetation are used to bad weather and everything survived nicely. We didn't even consider using the pool however! While we were there, it was New Year's Eve and the hotel did a great job providing us with a fabulous dinner and a fun celebration. They went all out in decorations and gave us all hats, noisemakers etc for the big moment. We made it until midnight, sharing the table with our new friends from Berlin and Galway, but then we retired for the night.

The next day we were off to Ronda, one of the White Hills towns. First we stopped in Gibraltar. What a sight! That is one huge rock! It was pretty stormy and we were glad to be in the little tourist bus that took us from the border to the far end of the community. We wanted to take the cable car to the top but it was closed because of high winds. I was glad that they had already made the decision before we were underway!

We loved Ronda! It is the home of modern bullfighting and has an amazing bridge. We stayed in one of the best hotels so far - all the soda, fruit juice, beer and wine we could drink was included! The location was really good and we had a spacious room (the Hemingway room) with its own balcony! It is a beautiful town and we loved strolling through it. The day was sunny and warm and we spent a long afternoon in the old town area. We saw the cathedral, bridge, and the bull ring. Because there are no bull fights currently, we could go into the actual ring and see the pens etc. plus the chapel for the matadors and the museum.

This morning we left Ronda and drove to Arcos de la Frontera. On the way, we stopped at a little town called Gazalema, back in the hills 16 km. off the highway. It was so picturesque! Beautiful white buildings, narrow streets, flowers in bloom in pots on balconies and a square complete with benches and cafes. We had coffees at one of them, walked around a bit and then rejoined the roads. We made it to Acros at about 2 this afternoon and have settled into yet another comfortable room in yet another quaint small town. I do like the small communities; it is so much easier to find your way around and to feel comfortable!

We are here for 2 nights and then off to Sevilla for 3 nights - and then Portugal!

Photos: me wading in the Mediterranean, New Year's Eve at the Hurricane Hotel, the Puenta Nueva in Ronda, stormy weather in Arcos de la Frontera

Granada impressions

As we begin our second week in Granada, there are some images that come to mind and that I hope will give you a sense of our experience here. We live in the Albaycin, the old, old Moorish area of Granada. It is on, and down, the hill facing the Alhambra. We live about half way down. The streets are like a maze, none going in a straight line, all widening and then narrowing. Sometimes I can almost touch both sides at once, so they are occasionally only 6 feet wide. There are steps, none very great but seemingly infinite in number, that take you up and down the streets. Sometimes the alleys open into small squares, like the one near us with a fountain and huge bougainvillea in partial bloom that maybe 2 dozen people a day see and enjoy. The streets curve and change names frequently. All are made of rocks; some are like river rocks that have been set 2/3 of the way in cement. Others are narrow rectangles that make a pattern or design. Sometimes the two are mixed in the same street.

If we go down toward Plaza Nueva, the Moroccan shops start about half way down, with their open displays of clothing, jewelry, odds and ends and the scent of incense. Mixed with them are the food places, serving tea, coffee, Moroccan meals or maybe crepes, or they are places to buy food, like pastry shops with baklava etc. This is beginning to feel like home now and we sometimes smile and greet the shop keepers. There is one place where twice now we have stopped and had lasagne for lunch, sitting at a table outside, enjoying the sun with the other, much younger folks who populate that area. Rick Steves claims that the area is populates with hippies who have come from well-to-do families in the north and are rebelling in groups here. They have what I think of as "rasta" hair, lots of piercing and tatoos, and lots of dogs. Dog poop is everywhere and we are used now to watching where we step. It's just part of this place.

Where we are is not particularly dangerous and it is well lit at night. We make it a point not to be out late (after midnight) because we do look very much like tourists. Violent crime is very rare here.

The house we live in is 400 years old and is itself a kind of twisted structure. When you come in the entry door, there is a rented apartment on each side. As you walk toward the back, you realize that the space above you is open to the sky. When you reach the opposite wall, you are facing a third apartment. To get to ours, you need to go left and up a spiral staircase that has big, solid steps and is painted a bright blue. About 3/4 of the way up is our door. If you continue up, you reach Rafa and Maya's apartment. They are the landlords. Their door is off a small patio. You can continue up wrought iron stairs to a deck with a table and chairs and a beautiful view of the Alhambra and a partial view of greater Granada. The houses are joined together at the outside walls on each side and it looks like a jumble when you look out over the rooftops from the deck. For living so close together, it is very quiet here. There is an occasional motorcycle that goes by or voices that seep in, but those are the exception.

Living here is being in a different world. It is old, exotic, curious and beautiful. I would like to return when it is summer; I think it would be even more wonderful when everything is in full bloom!

Photos: starting from the top: the view from our terrace of the Alhambra, the narrow streets and bougainvillea, walking down to the Moroccan shops on the rock streets, and our little fountain near the apartment.

Barcelona, Madrid and Granada - oh my!

Hola from Granada! We have been here now for 5 days and have been in Spain for 2 weeks. My Spanish has improved a "poco" and today we finally bought a Spanish/English dictionary, pocket size. We first went from Cairo to Barcelona and were there for 4 nights. Then we took the high speed AVE train to Madrid (the train trip was wonderful - comfortable and very scenic) and were there for 6 nights. On Monday we picked up our leased car outside Madrid and started south to Granada. The car has a GPS system which, of course, we needed right away! It really does help in and around the cities! Even the GPS couldn't help with the SNOW we encountered! We watched flakes flutter down as we had breakfast in Madrid and began to worry a bit but we weren't really prepared for the 6 inches we found! Madrid is fairly high and so cold weather isn't unusual but, like Seattle, folks here don't do well in the snow. At one point, we were stopped on the freeway for 45 minutes. People got out of their cars and walked around a bit and smoked and tried to figure out what was going on. When I asked "que pasa?" the man from the car in front of ours just shrugged. When we finally moved, about a mile down the road we saw a snowman that someone had made as they waited! Currently, we have rain. On Tuesday it was sunny, Wednesday it rained, yesterday it was nice in the afternoon, and today it has rained off and on all day. BUT - we're from Seattle and the rain didn't stop us! Actually, we waited until it stopped and then went out with our Gore Tex on!

Barcelona (pronounced bar-the-low-na) was glorious! If it weren't for all the warnings about pickpockets and car jackings, we would be eager to go back. Gaudi is amazing and although I had seen pictures ( his stuff looked "weird") and thought "this guy can't be that impressive", I was wrong! His "Sagrada Familia" is pretty indescribable. I'll include one photo of one part of the exterior. He believed in using the shapes found in nature, particularly vegetation, in architecture and his cathedral has tree trunks, flowers etc all over. Besides seeing Gaudi, we ate great tapas, walked La Rambla, saw some great markets, did a bit of shopping and rested.

When we got to Madrid, we got a taxi and headed to our hotel which was right on the Puerto del Sol - a perfect spot! We had an excellent room. It was on the third floor and on the corner so we looked directly out onto the square and also onto Calle del Carmen which is filled with shops. We arrived on a national holiday and people were everywhere! There is a metro station on the square as well as buses and more and more people kept finding their way there. We spent our first full day there at the Prado and the Reina Sophia museum which has Picasso's "Guernica" (his forceful black and white anti war painting which was done after the civil war in Spain). The Prado was every bit as good as we were told it would be. Spanish artists such as Goya, El Greco and Velaquez are featured but many others are there as well. We spent hours and then hurried over to see "Guernica" before we were totally exhausted. The next two days we had a "hop on, hop off" bus ticket and we used it to see both the historical and the newer parts of Madrid. We also took it back to the Prado area to see the Naval Museum. That was very interesting because of Spain's great navy in the past - remember the Spanish Armada? Also, Christopher Columbus is part of that history and much was made of his "discovery" of the new world. Part of our time was spent with housekeeping chores; we did laundry, got a cable for the laptop etc. We ate great paella. Another night we met a cute young couple who were seated at the table next to us. She had spent time in England and so her English was very good. At the end of the meal, we found out that it was her birthday! Her boyfriend had taken her out for a special dinner and we had talked to them all the way through it! We took two tours out of town with an agency recommended by Rick Steves called Julia Tours. One was a full day tour to Toledo and the other was a half day to El Escorial and the Valley of the Fallen. Toledo was the capital of early Spain and has a wonderful cathedral. We could have spent more time than the tour allowed but we were pleased to have a well done tour at all. The day that we were there it was very foggy which spoiled the views, but we still enjoyed seeing the ancient city that at one time was the peaceful home of Muslims, Jews and Christians. The half day tour was the next day, which was bright and sunny. We were up early to go to El Escorial, a palace/cathedral/burial place built by Philip II to house the Spanish kings and queens. It has an ancient library which includes a book written by St. Augustine in the 6th. century, among others! The palace rooms were impressive as was the mausoleum. The Valley of the Fallen is a monument Frano built to honor those who died in the Civil War. There is a church, which is closed for renovations, and a very impressive exterior which includes a gigantic cross - 150 meters tall I believe. Happily the weather allowed us good views from both sites that day. That was last Sunday and Monday we drove down here.

Andalucia is the name of the southern region of Spain. It includes Granada, Sevilla, and Cordoba as well as the Costa del Sol. Granada is probably best known for the Alhambra, the great Moorish castle that was the last stronghold of the Moors in Spain. We visited it on Wednesday, one of the sunny days. It is absolutely beautiful, even though the paint has faded, the walls need repair and there is constant work and scaffolding in the way. We were actually in the room where Queen Isabel gave Columbus her support to explore in 1492! I love the intricate designs, both in tile and plasterwork. Granada is all about the Reyes Catolica - Ferdinand and Isabel. The streets, fountains, shops are all named after them. Because they drove out the Moors, they united Spain for the first time and established the Catholic church as the national religion. They are also responsible for the Spanish Inquisition. (That is not mentioned much here.) Our apartment, which we have until the 28th., is in the old Moorish quarter with very narrow (about 6 feet wide!) and winding streets. It is very easy to get lost here! We try to be home by 9 or so but the streets mostly are well lit. Our building is about 500 years old and has 5 apartments. One is the landlord's and he rents the other 4. We have the largest, with a living room, bedroom, L shaped kitchen and dining area, and bathroom. There is a terrace on the roof which would be wonderful in the summer heat and which even now gives us beautiful night views of the Alhambra which is just across the gorge.

We are taking the train to Cordoba on Monday for two nights and then will be back here for Christmas Eve and Christmas. We'll leave on the 28th for the seaside town of Nerja for two nights and then on to Tarifa, again on the coast. Maybe we'll see some sun there! Thank you to all of you who have sent suggestions and recommendations on places to stay, sites etc. We are rereading them and they are guiding our path. Special thanks to all who recommended Ronda; we will spend two nights there. And Marcy, we are staying at the Hurricane Hotel in Tarifa! Merry Christmas to you all and Happy New Year!

The photos are: Gaudi's cathedral, Madrid prepares for Christmas in the Puerto del Sol, Leticia and her young man - the couple we met at dinner in Madrid, the huge cross at the Valley of the Fallen, and the archways leading into a room at the Alhambra.

Christmas letter 2009

Merry Christmas everyone! Or rather Feliz Navidad! We are in Spain for Christmas this year, living our dream trip. Since you are reading this blog, we know that you are aware of this trip of ours and have probably been following our progress through Finland, Norway, Paris, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, Austria, Israel, Egypt, Jordan and now Spain. We have met so many wonderful people, had our prospectives broadened and our senses sharpened. The small bits that we are able to share with you via the blog can only begin to let you know what this experience has been like. We have learned a lot about ourselves and each other too which will help us to become better people.

Our family news is a blend of happy and sad times, as it is every year. In July, our new grandson Antonio came into the world. He is Jessica and Albert's first baby and was a whopping 9 pounds, 15 oz! He is now 5 months old and continues to be in the 90+ percentiles for both weight and height. He is a happy, curious little boy who delights all of us. In August we lost my mother to cancer. She was 90 years old and was "herself" to the end; bright, good humored and kind. We were able to say goodbye to her before we left on the trip and that was a blessing. A week after we left, she passed. We went home for 6 days in September for her memorial service and then returned to Paris. In October our newest grandson was born, Jonathan Hosea, to Peter and Tammy! He joins big sister Claire to make them a family of four. He is a doll; we have been able to skype with them a couple of times and will continue to do so. What a great invention skype is! We can see the babies and talk to the parents in real time as if we were in the same room, and all of it for free! Just today, Kris and Randy and their boys left for their first assignment in Tonga through YWAM! They will be ministering to the people there as much as possible and will be having some adventures themselves. Jo and Rich and their family have had a big change; their oldest, Caleb, is now a college student in California! Hannah, the second oldest, is taking Running Start classes as she finishes high school, so they feel as if they have two college students! Andrew and Michele and their two boys have added a beautiful little girl to their family. She is part of the fostering to adopt program and although the adoption process is not over, they are optimistic that she will legally be part of their family in the next few months.

We miss all of you. Being away is hardest during the holidays. We hope that you will have a wonderful Christmas season and a very happy New Year! May the God of all of us bless you in 2010.

Jon and Beth

PS We love getting emails!