Dejavu in Sevilla

We were here 5 years ago and it is amazing how some things never change. Sevilla is as charming as ever. We walked through some of the same streets and remembered restaurants we had dined in. We decided to eat at the best "Freidura" in Sevilla, coincidentally, we celebrated David´s birthday in a restaurant across the street five years ago!!! They serve the best fried sea food and although we are not big on fried food...this a must have. We ordered a mixture of cod, shrimp, calamari and other seafood we do not recognize but are willing to try. One of their specialities is their adobo marinade which has a delicious and mouth watering lemony flavor. We washed it down with one of our favorite Spanish summer drinks a: "Clara" a mix of half beer and half fanta lemon. It may sound gross but it is quite refreshing in the summer and very popular in Spain.
We strolled the small narrow streets and marvel at some of the small stores which have been around since the mid 1800s! We stopped at a "papeleria" a kind of art supply store but much more interesting. I have been looking for a fountain pen and found just what I was looking for! One can't never have enough fountain pens.
James loves Sevilla so we spent two days sightseeing. On our last day, we went to one of our favorite tapas´ bar. The tapas were just amazing, the quality and the presentation just lovely. David has become more and more open to try different foods so I am not too surprised when he loves the octopus! The only thing that could have made our visit better would have been cooler weather. No wonder Sevillanos leave the city and find refuge in the nearby beaches.

Sleepless in Cadiz

We left Portugal after saying our goodbyes to our friends and people we have met during our short stay in Portugal. Lunch is packed so that we can stop in our way to Spain and save time and money. It took us about 4 hours driving from Lisbon to Cadiz. However, it takes almost 2 frustrating hours trying to find our next house. I am sure the directions we were given would have made sense to anyone familiar with the area... but it did not help us and we ended up driving through God forsaken roads with cows as our only company. Luckily, we had plenty of daylight left so getting lost was not as bad...in fact we passed through some beautiful mountains with plenty of windmills against the background. We found the house which is located right in front of a golf course. The house is the summer house of our friends Isabel and David (who happens to look like Clark Kent). It is a cute house in a small complex with a pool within walking distance. David has been loving the pool so we have been going every evening as the weather is extremely warm during this part of the year. Sleeping has been a challenge because of the hot weather. We realize how air conditioning is a luxury in some parts of the world. Nonetheless we love the area and have made it a point to become familiar with the main grocery stores. This is an important step for us as we depend on eating at home to make our travels affordable. Speaking the language does make it easier when I talk to the butcher or ask for a sample of the many varieties of food. I am sure charades will work as well but it is always a pleasure talking to the locals.

Breezy and Hilly Lisbon

Breezy and hilly Lisbon

As our time comes to an end, we realize how much more time is needed to explore this beautiful country...so as usual, we will assume on day we will return. We loved the quaint town of Sintra with its narrow streets and magnificent castle, a testament to its glorious past. Cascais was another beautiful city, right by the Atlantic ocean although not at as charming as Sintra.
Lisbon, ah, Lisbon...we definitively did not have enough time to explore this old and beautiful city. We walked through very steep roas in the Alfama neighborhood. I have never been to San Francisco but Lisbon is supposed to be hillier and much older of course. We visited the maritime museum, one of the best of its kind...James and David loved it. There were many model ships of different eras. The Monastery of St. Jerome was an impressive structure. We loved the food and the prices were more reasonable than in Spain.

Setubal & Environs and the Obama effect

We are staying in Setubal, home of the sardine industry. It is also known for the production of the best muscatel wine in the world! So, we have been making sure to pack on our Omega-3 and other nutrients while we can. Right next door to our apartment is a simple and inexpensive restaurant with very good food...we have befriended Fernando (the owner). He has a huge outdoor grill for grilling fish and "cow." Once he knew we were from Chicago, he asked us about President Obama and our opinions about him. This was just an excuse for him to let us know how much he LIKED him! Our personal experiences have reinforced the latest poll about President Obama´s popularity throughout the world. This year our souvenirs were simple requests to fill: Obama´s paraphernalia!

Near Setubal we visited the Castelo de Palmela (in Palmela) but no before having some grilled sardines with our friends Ramiro and Silvia. A very interesting history behind this 12th century fortress or what remainds of it. Afterwards we drove along the coastline headed for Serra de Arrabida. We drove up a very steep hill (James was sweating) but the reward was amazing...the end is at Cabo de Espichel on the Atlantic. By the time we arrived it was rather cool and very windy! David of course insisted in at least wetting his feet to find out how cold the water was...for him not too cold of course.

Meeting new people as a benefit to home swaps

Even though I am the perennial optimist, it is always refreshing to be reminded of how much kindness exists in the world. As we arrive to Setubal, 40 km north of Lisbon we call our friends Ramiro and Silvia whose house we are staying at during our trip in Portugal. They come to give us the keys and show us around the apartment. This is nice as we always find challenging using some European appliances. James thinks appliances should be only meant to do one thing! So this washer\drier appliances do a good job at neither...but I digress. They are wonderful people, they come with their adorable 11 year old daughter, Clara. Ramiro is a principal at a nearby high school so inevitably we spend some time talking and comparing the Portuguese and American educational system.

So what is so nice about this experience? This is the first time actually meeting them...I had contacted them via e-mail a few months ago requesting hospitality and they agreed! This is another strategy for affordable travel. So we are staying at stranger´s house. I guess my mother never did a good job at teaching me not to talk to strangers let alone stay in their aparments!

Part of our travel experiences is not just looking at monuments, small villages, big cities but in adding a human component to it. We LOVE meeting new people and home swapping has allowed us to connect and make long life transatlantic friendships.

Driving to Portugal

We thought about leaving early but life does not always work as planned. And after all, who wants to run around on a vacation? So, after a light breakfast...we head towards Lisbon. We first stop at the corner grocery store for fruit, bread, cheese and ham for a lunch on the road. Packing lunches is one of our strategies to save money which allows us to travel on month long vacation to Europe. No, you don´t need loads of money to do it!
I have to admit James has gotten much better about driving long distances! He was not complaining about being sleepy at all (I am sure he has his own version of the story). Of course we have found a way to combat it...healthy snacks and audio books. This year we are listening to Harry Potter.
Driving in Europe after all of these years seem rather easy. Actually, James likes the roundabouts and think they are the greatest inventions!

How time flies when you are having fun!

Our second day in Madrid was spent walking around Plaza del Sol and other places nearby. Of significance is the visit to the oldest (opened in 1725) restaurant in the world "El Botin" situated on the street calle de cuchilleros. Their specialty is roasted lamb and pig (21 one day old pigs to be more exact). For you literary buffs, this famous restaurant was a haunt for Hemingway´s and Goya supposedly work there before becoming a painter. We did not eat there of course as the food was out of our budget but it would have been worth it just to feel part of history.
Third day, we decided to visit Segovia a two hour train ride from Madrid. We had lots of fun in this beautiful town full of history. Our third and last day in Madrid was spent doing more walking and the grand finale was a dinner\flamenco show. We had tapas which were average but the highlight was the show...such energy! I was sweating just watching the dancers! One can feel the passion they feel for the music as they move.