Pastéis Português

Contrary to my strong need to move to Sevilla and Praha, I did not feel the same pressing need move to Lisboa.  But I don't think that takes away from the fact that I truly loved it. 

Lisboa is an interesting city.  Its beautiful with its classic architecture, brightly painted buildings and unique azulejo tile work.  But on the other hand, its visibly poorer than its other Western European counterparts, which can be seen in its deteriorating facades and felt in a certain nostalgia.  This nostalgia, while not quite as palpable, reminded me a bit of Buenos Aires and the longing for its illustrious past.  

I will admit right off the bat that I wish I had gotten to know Portugal and its culture a little better.  Because it was Spain's Semana Santa, Portugal was overrun with Spanish tourists.  I think I actually interacted with more Spanish people than Portuguese people!  Plus I tried to cram in as much as possible into my four days there, leaving little time to just be and experience my surroundings.  However, I did enjoy my trip a lot and even for reasons that I can't explain.

I decided to do this one on my own, meaning no tours or guides, just my research and great (bad?) sense of direction.  Before my trip I did a lot of reading and researching about Lisboa and compiled a handy guide for myself of things I wanted to see and do (big dork, I know).  Then I set out on my fist day there with my guide and map, feeling independent and ready to take on Lisboa!  

My first stop was Rossio Square.  I decided to walk and after many wrong turns and general frustrations, I arrived 40 minutes later.  As I would later find, the square was only five minutes from my hostel.  Oh details, details...at least I was able to take advantage of the situation by walking around the city more.  Afterwards I went to a part of the city called Belém, which has several monuments to Portugal's maritime past.  Also included in this area is the famed Pastéis de Belém - a bakery/cafe with a centuries old recipe for little custard tarts.  The line was literally out the door and nearly around the corner!  But it was definitely worth the wait.  The pastries were so good that I went twice!  After a day of sight seeing I went to dinner and to see a Fado show at Sehnor Vinho.  This is Lisboa's most sophisticated Fado house, in part because it was founded by one of Lisboa's most famous Fado singers, Maria da Fé.  Fado is traditional Portuguese music that involves guitars and a singer - and I loved it!

The next day I took a day trip to Sintra, a small village about 40 minutes outside of Lisboa.  The village itself is cute and quaint, but the real attraction is that there are several palaces and castles located here.  To be honest, I thought this part of my trip was going to be a disaster because nothing was unfolding the way I'd planned (and I NEED to have things according to schedule lol).  But at the end of the day, I think it turned out just right.  I walked around the village and ate more pastries (delicious), visited a palace and explored the Moorish castle, which offered spectacular views of Sintra, the Portuguese landscape and the coast.  

I also went to Cabo da Roca, which is the most western point of Europe.  At the risk of sounding cliched, it was breathtaking.  A funny thing also happened at the western most point of Europe.  I saw some girls climbing on some rocks down a beaten path and decided it might be a good idea to check it out for more beautiful views.  So, with the power derived from my converse sneakers, I suddenly felt the confidence to take off my blazer and climb some rocks.  Surprisingly, it worked.  But after I enjoyed the view and took some pictures, I cursed my self all the way back up to my starting point.  As it turns out, getting down had been the easy part, but returning proved to be a...(I don't think it's necessary for me to finish this sentence).  

On my last day in Lisboa I took the Santa Justa elevator - which looks similar to the Eiffel Tower - up to see the view of Lisboa and to explore a different part of the city.  I also visited Lisboa's castle, which sits in the mountains overlooking the city with beautiful views - a great way to bid adieu to meu querido Portugal (my dear Portugal).  

Beautiful Lisboa

Rossio Square

Pastéis de Belém has delicious

Sintra

The view from the Moorish castle

Cabo da Roca: the Western most point in Europe.

The lighthouse at Cabo da Roca

Posing after my daring climb ;)

Fado in Sehnor Vinho

Besitos,
B

El Aire De Sevilla

I will not write extensively about my spring break vacation (sorry to disappoint, or perhaps its a relief?)  The truth is I am lazy, nothing more, nothing less.  But I'll give you a brief overview...
 
I was very excited to plan another big trip for Semana Santa because we had 10 days off from school.  However, no one wanted to/could come with me to my chosen destinations: Sevilla and Portugal.  But that's never stopped me before - if I want to go somewhere, I'll do it on my own!  So I set off on my first European adventure alone.
 
I spent the first three days in Sevilla, which is Andalucía's capital.  I have to admit, I fell for Sevilla's charm instantly.  The city is a beautiful maze of narrow and intricate streets that you can get lost in for hours.  The architecture reflects its mixture of Islamic and Spanish cultural influences.  The buildings are painted in warm and bright orange, red and yellow tones, making the city feel vibrant and alive.  Delightful horse drawn carriages clicked down the cobble stoned streets.  And the air carries an intoxicating scent of orange trees and flowers.  It was actually planned that way: the trees were strategically planted all around the city to ensure that it smelled delightful.  I think they should bottle this scent and call it "El Aire de Sevilla" - I would definitely buy the fabulous scent!

During my trip I went on a walking tour to learn about the city's history, which is really fascinating, and to see all the important sights.  I spent the following days returning to said sights to explore them more thoroughly.  I met some nice girls at my hostel so we ended up sight seeing together.  Among the most interesting sights were Sevilla's world-famous Gothic cathedral and el Alcazar.  El Alcazar is Sevilla's version of Granada's La Alhambra.  I must admit that although it was quite beautiful, it also looked strikingly similar to La Alhambra because I have no knowledge of Islamic architecture.  But the garden was so beautiful!  We actually spent more time relaxing among the flowers in the garden than looking around the palace!

On my last day in Sevilla I went to the real Aire de Sevilla, which is an establishment of Arab baths.  Arab baths were popular centuries ago and used as a place for the public to bathe and relax.  I went and sipped tea, relaxed in the various baths (cold, temperate, hot; jucuzzi; salt) and sauna, and had a much needed massage.  I'm definitely thinking about visiting the Arab Baths when I go to Cordoba!

Overall, Sevilla is a lovely city and yes, I did feel that distinct and strangely familiar pang to pack up and move there immediately and permanently.  What can I say?  I love that feeling of falling IN LOVE a beautiful city. 

The orange trees that make el aire de Sevilla smell so wonderful.

The narrow alleyways

Horse drawn carriage rides are very popular!

La Catedral

The beautiful view from the cathedral

Estanque del Mercurio - Mercury's Pool

El Alcazar and the its beautiful gardens

Relajandito

Granada

Whenever I talk to anyone - Spanish or not - they always say that Granada is "lo mejor de España" (or the best city in Spain).  After having spent one night in Granada upon my arrival and gone out for tapas there after coming back from winter break, I felt that it was about time to actually get to know this city I'd technically already visited twice.  
  
So when J suggested we plan a day trip there during her visit to Spain last month, I was beyond excited.  However, my plan to finally experience Granada actually failed miserably.  We visited La Alhambra, which ended up taking up our entire day trip in Granada.  But, it was still nice experience.  
  
We started the day by sharing an (overpriced) lunch of salad, a dessert platter and bottle of wine.  Turns out, wine shouldn't be the first thing you imbibe in a day because soon after a splitting headache ensued on my part.  Anyway, afterwards we spent several hours wandering around the expansive grounds and the palace.  According to my good friend, Wikipedia:

La Alhambra is "a palace and fortress complex constructed during the mid 14th century by the Moorish rulers of the Emirate of Granada in Al-Andalus...The Alhambra's Moorish palaces were built for the last Muslim Emirs (Kings) in Spain and its court, of the Nasrid dynasty. After the Reconquista by the Los Reyes Católicos ("The Catholic Monarchs") in 1492 some portions were used by the Christian rulers...After being allowed to fall into disrepair for centuries, the Alhambra was 'discovered' in the 19th century by European scholars and travelers, with restorations commencing. It is now one of Spain's major tourist attractions, exhibiting the country's most significant and well known Islamic architecture, together with 16th-century and later Christian building and garden interventions. The Alhambra is a UNESCO World Heritage Site."

Although I'm still not sure this trip counts enough to say "I've been to Granada," here's photographic evidence that I was actually there!

Beautiful!  Hopefully one day I'll make it back for a fourth time to actually experience the city ;)

Besitos, 

B

Jaén + Madrid in Photos

La Catedral de Jaén

El Castillo de Santa Cantalina

Madrid by night

Plaza Mayor

Tapas at Fatigas del Querer

Traditional paella

Chocolate con churros

Monument in Parque del Retiro

Rastro market on Sunday morning

El Palacio Real

The post office.  How pretty!

El Museo del Prado

Flamenco

Video footage of the flamenco show

Katie Comes to Spain!

As much as I love traveling and living abroad, sometimes I like to have a little something to remind me of home.  So it was with great enthusiasm that I welcomed (and solicited) a visit from a good friend.  Last week, the lovely Katie Unthank graced Spain with her wildly ecclectic, fun and feminist presence.  We had many fun adventures, including my long-awaited first trip to Madrid!

Katie arrived last Monday, just in time to partake in one of Spain's most infamous traditions - the afternoon siesta, a custom that I've come to simultaneously love and despise (more on this later...)  Afterwards I FINALLY did the tourist thing in Jaen (I know, about 4 months late!)  We went to the historic city center and wandered through it's beautiful, antiquated streets until we found our way to the cathedral.  La Catedral de Jaen is Jaen's crowning jewel, towering over the city with it's architectual glory.  Although I've admired it from afar, this was the first time I actually went inside.  While the inside was beautiful, after seeing cathedral after cathedral in uber Catholic Latin America, I must admit that I wasn't that impressed.  Although the outside is quite breathtaking, the inside is dimly lit with mediocre artwork.  Next, we journeyed up to El Castillo de Santa Catalina, which was illuminated and quite a sight while lit up at night.  It has spectacular views of the city and it's surrounding mountains.

Over the next few days, I showed Katie my daily Spanish life: trips to various cafes for decadent treats, tapas and drinks, and of course, the infamous Bariloche.  While I introduced Katie to a few new things, I have to thank her for FINALLY making me do all the tourist things I'd been meaning to do for the longest time.

The next leg of the journey was spent in Spain's capital, Madrid.  This was my first visit to the city, and I must say, Madrid is definitely my kind of city.  Beautiful, classy, interesting and fun, I suppose that there's never a dull moment in a city that's so full of life.  

Although we were only in Madrid for a few days, we packed in a lot of activities: paella in Plaza Mayor, row boating in Retiro Park (where hilarity ensued), a visit to the Prado, shopping in the Rastro market and of course, the mandatory flamenco show.  Add in delicious food, fine wine and interesting conversation of the feminist variety and the result is quite possbily one of the most perfect trips.

At the end of the trip, I was sad to see Katie go.  But I was also sad to leave Madrid.  Which is exactly why I'm currently counting down the days until my mom and her fiancee come to visit me in Madrid (T minus seven days.... ;)

Besos,

B

P.S. - If you want to come visit (or just send me presents, hehe), please let me know!

Prague in Photos

Old Prague Square at night

The view of Prague from Mala Strana (Lesser Town)

The only authentic venue where Mozart performed

A cathedral in Old Prague Square

Another beautiful cathedral

Kafka statue outside the Jewish Quarter

Prague Castle and Mala Strana

The view of Prague Castle at night from Charles Bridge

The cathedral at Prague Castle

The Astronomical Clock

Beautiful architecture in Old Prague Square

The infamous pub crawl, including absinthe shots

Falling in love with PRAHA

Prague is one of those cities that truly takes your breath away.  It's a city whose quirky beauty and unique charm has garnered it a reputation as one of the most romantic cities in the world.  And while I understand that some people go to Prague to fall in love with their significant other, I discovered that I fell in love with Praha instead. 

Over the last few years Prague has become an international tourist destination sensation, highly sought after for its beauty, lively nightlife and relatively cheap cost.  I’ve wanted to go to Prague for the longest time, so I was ecstatic to finally have the opportunity to visit.

Amy and I awoke on Jan. 2 at a most ungodly hour (4:30?  5:00?) to catch a five hour train from Berlin to Prague.  We were so exhausted, we decided to take a nap first to rest up and enjoy the rest of the trip.  We emerged from our hostel at dusk and into city's streets.  We wandered the Old Prague Square, completely enamored by gorgeous and well-preserved architecture and ate at a fabulous Italian restaurant for only 8 euro!  Before returning to our hostel, we went to Charles Bridge and overlooked Prague Castle, which was illuminated in a soft gold light, solidifying Prague’s reputation as the Golden City and one of the most romantic cities in the world.

Over the next two days, we braved the cold to do a three-hour free walking tour of the city and a four-hour walking tour of Prague Castle and Mala Strana.  This was both a wonderful and terrible experience.  The walking tour, which is present in several major European cities, is a great deal for those traveling on a budget: you get to see all the major sites, learn about the city’s history and culture from knowledgeable tour guides, and meet new people from all over the world – all for the cost of a couple of Euros tip at the end.  HOWEVER, Prague was so eff-ing cold that I really thought I’d gotten frostbite and might die.  On the tour I wore: tights, leggings and jeans; three pairs of socks; knee high leather boots; a tank top, a sweater, a long sleeved shirt, a sweatshirt and a coat; a scarf; two pairs of gloves; a hat and a hood.  I was freezing.  Although my over sensitivity to cold made it a little less enjoyable than I would have liked (i.e. after the tour I ran to the nearest pub and told them to give me the warmest thing to drink.  I couldn't bend my fingers and had to dump the money out on the counter to pay), it was a wonderful way to see the city. 

During my several hours spent wandering the city, I discovered that Prague is an architectural delight!  The buildings come in so many styles that it makes walking through the city a truly fascinating endeavor: cubist, communist, art deco, nouveau art deco, and more!  Prague is also home to Kafka, the famed literary genius (or crazy, depending on how you look at it), the largest medieval castle in Europe (Prague Castle), the only authentic venue where Mozart performed, the world-famous astronomical clock and an intriguing communist, holocaust and Jewish history. 

While I’m not proud to admit this, I actually went on something called a pub crawl (yes, shocking, I know).  Amy really wanted to go, so I reluctantly decided to accompany her so she would not be alone.  Overall, the locations on the pub crawl were NOT my scene at all (Irish pub?  Dive bars?) and the drinks weren’t exactly my glass of wine (Beer?  Can I PLEASE get a cosmopolitan or an extra dirty martini with olives?), but that was definitely to be expected.  I did however try a shot of absinthe, which is mandatory for all young Americans traveling in Europe.  No I did not hallucinate and then pass out in a corner, rather I cringed at the taste and said, “Well that was interesting!” 

HOWEVER, the night turned out to be a good opportunity to meet people from all corners of the world: the U.S., Australia, Europe, and of course South America.  At the beginning of the night I noticed all the Latin kids hanging out together, laughing and talking in Spanish.  I longingly felt that I belonged in their group speaking Spanish, rather than speaking in English with people from England and the U.S.  Then my luck changed as a Venezuelan guy approached me and asked, “Are you Latina?”  I said no, to which he replied, “Are you sure?  Because you look like a Latina girl.”  I told him that although I’m not Latina, I do speak Spanish, and thus I was inducted into the South American group and spent the rest of the night speaking Spanish and reminiscing about my days in Argentina.  I have to say, it was pretty wonderful.  

While Prague is incredibly beautiful, and I hope to return one day, the only aspect that I didn’t like was that it was over-run with tourists.  Yes, I am aware, that I am technically a tourist too, but I like to think of myself as a "sophisticated connoisseur of world travel and culture" – one who absolutely does NOT play into the stereotypical role that Americans have garnered over the years (think knee high socks, ill-fitted shorts, fanny packs, and an unfounded superiority complex that gives them the disillusioned impression that everyone speaks English outside of the U.S. because we ARE the shit…sarcasm…can be hard in written word).   But I digress…I would love to have time to explore the city again when it’s a bit quieter, although I’m not sure if there’s ever a time of year like that for Prague.

At the end of the trip, I felt wistful, as I often do when returning from a lovely vacation.  I wanted to stay longer and possibly move to Prague (to do what, I’m not sure ;)  Looking back, Amy and I wished we’d done the trip in reverse: more time in Prague to explore its unique beauty and a shorter trip to Berlin.  But I’d like to think that I’ll return one day.  And maybe when it’s not so cold ;)

Besos,
B

Berlin in Photos

The Berliner Dom

  

Kaiser-Wilhelm-Gedächtniskirc

Schloss Charlottenburg

 Berliner Philharmoniker

 

Pieces of the Berlin Wall

Brandenburg Gate

German potatoes and glühwein

Authentic sign of the American sector from Checkpoint Charlie museum

Berlin's national opera house

A holocaust train station was converted into a metro station, but kept this sign in remembrance. 

"We must never forget where these trains used to lead."

St. Matthew's church 

KaDeWe - Europe's biggest (and apparently most popular) department store

The erotic museum