And We're Back

After about 12 hours of waiting in lines, riding trams, getting patted down, and watching multiple movies and shows on the plane, we arrived back home in sunny Seattle. We were welcomed by an excited Mia - boy did I miss the little lady! We took the pooch for a walk and watched the Mad Men finale to help keep us up until almost 8pm (4am according to our bodies).

It was a fantastic honeymoon - a good balance of exploration and relaxation. We're not exactly ready to be done with our vacation, but it feels good to be home. Here are some thoughts / reflections on Portugal.

Food. Some of the best seafood we've ever eaten. Portions are huge, which was a bit surprising. It's no wonder why our clothes a much more snug post-trip. The Portuguese love seafood, potatoes, salt, and coffee, which makes me a very happy camper. They dig their pork, which puts a smile on Dave's face. They're also quite fond of egg yolk based pastries and desserts, usually in custard form. Tastes better than it sounds. Another interesting thing about the food in Portugal is that meals start out with 'couvert,' usually consisting of bread, butter, cheese, pate, and olives. Servers will automatically bring it to your table, and then charge you for it. So you must stop them if you don't want it. Usually, we ate it because all of those things are delightful. You can also get all sorts of pates there: sardine, tuna, wild boar, etc.

Booze. First off, let's talk about beer. There are essentially two beers in Portugal: Sagres and Super Bock. They look the same, taste the same, and cost the same. This makes things easy because you can just order a 'cerveja' and know what you're going to get. There was one sighting of a dark Super Bock, and I'm sure there are other beers available, but for the most part beer = light lager. Wine is quite tasty in Portugal and it was fun to taste wine across the different Portuguese wine regions. Wine is also an incredible value in Portugal. It's going to be quite a shock the next time I order a wine in the US. The biggest discovery was white port - how did I not know about that before the trip? It's particularly nice with tonic water and lemon. Gin is big in Portugal, which was an eyebrow raiser. Not sure if it's because there are so many British tourists, but in many restaurants there are dedicated gin menus.

Driving. People drive fast in Portugal. You can be going 90 mph and have people fly by you. The highways are well-maintained and people obey the rule of staying in the right lane unless passing. However, when driving in towns often times it seems like drivers make up their own rules. The concept of a lane being for cars to drive in a particular direction is loosely held. Part of that could be due to roads being narrow. Drivers have no hesitation to park in the middle of the street. You definitely have to be an attentive driver.

Language. I knew that Portuguese was different than Spanish, but I was surprised at how different it was. Many words were spelled somewhat similarly but pronunciation was very different. There are about 7 different ways to pronounced the letter 'c.' and 's' is usually pronounced as 'sh.' There's a lot of 'sh' sounds - reminded me of Mandarin a bit. Spanish is such a straightforward language in comparison and easier to know how to pronounce words. There are several marks that can go above a letter or be attached to the bottom, adding to the confusion. Portuguese is more partial to r's  compared to Spanish l's. As an example, church in Spanish is 'iglesia' and in Portuguese it's 'igrecja.'

People. The Portuguese are lovely. Almost everyone speaks English and did their best to speak our language as opposed to expecting us to speak theirs. There were a ton of British tourists and I'm sure that's partially why so many people could speak English. At least in the towns that had any amount of tourism.

Bye Bye Portugal

The time has come to start our migration home. After breakfast, Dave got a massage and I hung out by the pool for some last minute rays. Then, we packed up and jumped in our very dirty rental car. Over the course of the trip we've parked under a couple very sappy, vicious trees, resulting in a thick sticky paste covering the car. Even after driving over an hour in windy conditions the tiny flowers were still completely stuck to the roof of our little Clio. She was a trusty car during out 1,500 miles together. Dave put together this cool map showing our route around Portugal (the multi-colored pins show where we stayed over night).

We drove from Lagos up to Lisbon with just a brief stop at a rest stop for lunch. The rest stop cafes in Portugal are quite nice - clean with decent food and good coffee. After dropping off the rental car we shuttled to the airport and had a good while to hang out before our flight. We grabbed a beer and looked at all the shops in the terminal - all three of them. One thing we learned is that the Portuguese are serious about their cigarette warnings.

The boarding process is pretty interesting. They scan your boarding pass and then corral you in a holding gate before you can walk to the plane. Our flight to Paris was pretty uneventful and quick. We're staying in a hotel at the airport tonight and fly back to Seattle tomorrow.

Relax. Rinse. Repeat.

We've done an excellent job of soaking up our last days of rest and relaxation. Most of today was spent by the pool (after Dave's run, of course). I've borrowed a book from the hotel and have been deeply enthralled in the tale. Before poolside lounging, we experienced one of the coolest things on our trip - a fish foot spa. You may have read about it, or even experienced it if you don't live in Washington where it has been deemed illegal. Essentially, you put your feet into what looks like a crowded fish tank and they give you the most interesting, refreshing foot spa treatment you've ever experienced. It's quite the trip, especially when they start nibbling between your toes - feels so weird! The fish are drawn to dead skin cells but don't have any teeth so they basically suck of the dead cells and help with cell regeneration. It sounds completely hokey, I know. That said, both Dave's and my feet felt absolutely amazing after letting the fish have at our feet for 15 mins. Dave took a great video of when he first put his feet into the tank. It was like the fish were having Christmas in June.

At lunch I ordered a large beer and Dave ordered a small. After lunch, we switch roles and I ordered a coffee and he ordered a coffee with milk. We giggled. We might be the only ones who giggle at this.....

After lounging by the pool we got awesome massages - the best yet on our trip. Then, we went to dinner at a Tapas restaurant. Tasty and not quite as large as the traditional Portuguese meal.

Life's a Beach

We essentially took no photos today, except for this one of my hottie of a hubby at breakfast. Our hotel here in Lagos has a kitchenette so while Dave was running this morning I went to the market and picked up goodies to have breakfast in our room. Afterwards, we went to the beach, hence why Dave is in swim trunks.

We hung out at the beach most of the day, came back tot he hotel and cleaned up, walked around town, and had a delicious dinner at a popular seafood spot. We pigged out on prawns and clams in a special 'home sauce' that was a bit curryish with a whole lotta garlic.

Since today was such a light photo day, we present a photo series that Dave has been assembling on the trip called 'Ode to the Portuguese Fire Hydrant.' In honor of our friend, Marcus, who has a fascination with hydrants, Dave has been snapping pics of all the varieties he can find. Enjoy!

Lazy Is As Lazy Does

Today we amped up the laze. Here's a rundown of the day:

• Woke up to a beautiful view of the beach
• Dave went for a run on the beach
• Ate breakfast
• Took naps
• Walked around for a few minutes - giggled at the strip club nestled amongst the cafes and trinket shops
• Drank sangria
• Got massages - the best we've had so far. The place looked a little run-down, but as with breakfast places, often times the best ones look the most sketch
• Ate lunch and drank more sangria
• Drove to Lagos hotel
• Lounged by the pool
• Ate dinner - back at the super yummy place with the tuna the size of my head and a .5 lt of wine for 2.50 Euros. Dave had some tasty seabass
• Went to bed

Life is good!

Porto and Driving and Caves, Oh My!

With just a few days left of this grand adventure, we decided we wanted to go back to the Algarve for some more beach time. It's about 5 driving hours to get there and before hitting the road we decided to explore Porto a little more. The city is quite pretty with interesting architecture. It's also very hilly. Every town / city in Portugal is on the hillier side, but Porto so far has everywhere else beat. Lisbon is a tough contender but the hills there didn't seem as steep as in Porto. Dave took some lovely photos on our hilly escapade.

I, on the other hand, was in a bit of an odd photographing state. Maybe it was the lack of oxygen from walking up the hills? I thought the buses had a very unique, rather space agey look to them.

One thing that's neat in Porto that we haven't noticed in other cities is that almost every shop had drawing on the windows, several with clever sayings or quotes.

There were some fun colorful touches about the city.

Some rather creepy looking things. Not sure you can see just how creepy the statue guy's face looks, just trust me that you feel quite sorry for the lady he's holding onto. And why does he get to be in fancy, lavish clothing while she's all nudey. The feminist in me was definitely disturbed by that statue. And the display of heads totally creeped me out. You can't really see it well, but in the top right window of the building with tile had a lineup of dolls looking out and watching passersby. More odd than creepy, but interesting for sure.

And finally, there were some things that simply put smiles on my face, such as the fact that you can get a bottle of vinho verde for less than 2 Euros, Portugal has a super cool post office logo, there's a cool vintage store with a Star Trek theme (that one's for you, mom), and fun translations - food with memory - cute.

After meandering around Porto, we drove to cave country. There were beautiful landscapes and countryside, which is a good thing because it softened the blow when we showed up at a cave that was closed on Mondays. If only someone (me) was better at reading the fine print in the guide book. Luckily, there was another cave (Mira de Aire) nearby that we got to tour. It was recently awarded first place in the Wonders of Portugal competition, cave division. That made me chuckle. The cave was awesome! It was discovered in the 1940s and has only been open to the public since the 1970s. The photos don't do it justice. Super duper cool!

After our cave explorations we headed south to the Algarve and decided to stay in Albufeira for the night - a small resort town about 30 minutes from Lagos (where we stayed previously). We found a hotel overlooking the beach and went to get some dinner. We had our first pitcher of sangria, the largest ice cream sundae we've ever had, and the smallest drink (a traditional Portuguese after-dinner digestivo made from sour cherries). The moon over the water looked amazing and it was nice to fall asleep to the sounds of waves crashing on the shore.

Boozin' It Up In Porto

We started out the day with a shiatsu massage for Dave and a Thai massage for me. It's been such a treat to pamper ourselves on our trip. It will be a rude awakening the next time we get a massage back home and have to pay US prices.

After our morning in the spa we packed up and headed to Porto. Our guidebook recommends not driving in Porto and once we were here we agreed with it. Dave did a great job navigating the steep, windy, chaotic streets and we found a lovely hotel near the river.

Next, we had one of the best meals we've had on the trip - a seafood stew made in a copper pot. Absolutely delicious! The sauce was almost like a curry and each type of seafood was cooked to perfection. We also each tried white port for the first time, which was quite tasty (that's cheese next to the port in the photo). We left stuffed and happy.

We walked along the river and over to Vila Nova De Gaia to visit the Taylor Port House. We tried a couple different yummy ports and saw this peacock that was just chillin' outside. Then we walked to the swanky Yeatman Hotel for another drink and coffee overlooking the city. The service was top notch, as were the views. Our cocktails were made using white port. I had no idea that white port existed until today. Add that to the list of things I love about Portugal. We walked back to our hotel, which is quite nice but not as swanktified as the Yeatman, crossing the incredibly high bridge. I am grateful to be alive.

There were some interesting items for sale in Porto. My personal fave might be the Tupac bag.

We grabbed a light meal at the hotel since we were still quite stuffed from lunch and all the port. They had packets of olive oil - not sure why, but I found that adorable and felt compelled to take a photo. That might be a sign that I've taken enough pics on this trip.

Adventures in Aveiro

After another leisurely morning, we left Coimbra and headed North to the cute town of Aveiro. To be fair, Dave woke up and ran. I was the lazy one that slept until 10am. I've been averaging 9 hours of sleep a night, and it's awesome. Averio is referred to as the Venice of Portugal. There are canals throughout the town and colorful boats dotting the water every few feet. 

Our first order of business was to do laundry - we were in desperate need. The laundromats in town were closed for the weekend so we drove out to a suburban mall that the hotel staff recommended. That place ended up being a dry cleaner and we were looking for a self-service laundromat. The ladies at the dry cleaner didn't speak much English but we were able to stumble through with their broken English and my toddler-level Spanish skills and figure out a place nearby that had what we were looking for. It took even longer to figure out how to run the machines once we made it there. Thankfully, our clothes came out clean and we didn't break anything.

After our laundry adventure, we walked around the town, grabbed a snack and some beer, before heading back to the hotel so Dave could get a massage.

For dinner we went to a restaurant above the local fish market. They brought out examples of the fresh fish to help us figure out what to order. I had the seabass and as I like to put it, 'dissected it' for dinner. I'm usually pretty anti-whole fish and don't like to mess around with bones. I was pretty proud of myself for tackling this beast, and Dave was very supportive, as well. He had a squid and prawn skewer, which also required dissecting. The fish available has changed some now that we're in Northern Portugal. No more fresh tuna and swordfish and more smaller, flakier fish on the menu. The seafood has been quite tasty along the way. And I'm appreciative for the abundance of potatoes here. Just about every meal comes with potatoes in some format. Love me some taters.

Relaxing in Coimbra

After the day of driving yesterday we were ready for some down time. Dave even skipped his running workout! We're staying in a beautiful historic hotel from the 16th century with amazing gardens and views of downtown Coimbra - definitely a nice setting to wake up in! Dave was a bit disappointed in the hotel's breakfast (no Nutella!), but was still able to eat four plates of food.

Coimbra has the oldest university in Europe, which sits up on a hill. We walked into town, explored, and hiked up the steep hill to see the school and views. On the way into the city center there was a huge turf-covered bear. Funny enough, at there very spot there was a green smell in the air. As Dave put it, 'It smells like Seattle.' We stopped for coffee at a bakery that had the biggest meringues we've ever seen. We had a pastry covered in meringue. It was interesting - the meringue was quite good.

After hiking about Coimbra, we walked back to the hotel and hung out by the pool for the afternoon before getting massages. We've definitely adapted to relaxing vacation life. When we first got here we got up as early as we could, grabbed a quick breakfast, and then would walk around for ten-ish miles a day. Now, we roll out of bed late, pig out a leisurely breakfast, contemplate the day, take a stroll, stop for coffee, maybe walk a little more, and then head for a pool or spa.

For dinner. we went to a yummy tapas restaurant near the futbal stadium that happened to be hosting the national championship game. It was on the TV at the restaurant, along with every other restaurant, bar, and residence in the country I'm guessing. I asked our server which team he wanted to win and he said that he tries not to discuss futbal, religion, or politics with customers. Cute! Lisbon was playing a team from the Azore Islands. Lisbon won and there was lots of cheering in the streets after the game.

North by Northwest

Today was a big mileage day. After Dave finished his run we left Evora and went to a Neolithic rock formation called Os Almendres. It's thought that the rocks were set up there because it's a sacred space given its relationship to the sun and the moon. We were also able to see some recently harvested cork trees up close. Portugal produces 50% of the world's cork and there are cork trees everywhere. The trees regenerate bark so they can be harvested without being cut down. They look pretty cool.

Next, we went to a castle perched up on a hill, Evoramonte. Pretty views, but there were tons of bugs that were far too interested in getting in my hair so it was a brief visit.

On the way to lunch in Estremoz, we stopped by a winery. We're really digging on the Portuguese wine and the stuff from the Alentego region is quite interesting and tasty. Estremoz was very cute and charming and I had my first vegetarian meal of the trip - an asparagus omelette. And as we've grown accustomed, finished our meal with some coffee. It really is the perfect ending to every meal, at least when eating in Europe. The other thing that's tastier when traveling is orange soda. Never really drink it at home, but it always sounds good when on vacation.

Our last spot in the region before heading west was Castelo de Vide - an adorable town perched up on a hill. There's certainly a theme to many of the towns here: cute, castle, on a hill, and an abundance of coffee.

The drive west was hilly, pretty, and fast. We were going almost 90mph and people were zooming past us. We decided to stop in Coimbra for a couple nights. The hotel is nice (there's a bidet) and the people are very sweet. Looking forward to exploring the town tomorrow and getting in some time by the pool.

Lazy Day in Evora

After indulging in our complimentary breakfast, we strolled the streets of Evora (and no running today for Dave!). We went on a private tour of a 'palace,' which turned out to be more of a run-down old building than a luxurious pad. It was still pretty cool, and we helped contribute to its restoration. We took a photo with our tour guide to commemorate the occasion.

There's a great 'shop' that's filled with vending machines to meet any of your drinking or eating needs. We stopped in a local market on the way back to the hotel. Not sure if you can tell, but in the photo there is deep fried cod fritters and octopus in the freezer. And right above that is a can full of hot dogs.

The rest of the day was quite lazy and wonderful. We hung out by the pool, took naps, got massages, and had a delightful dinner at one of the best restaurants in Evora. We were so relaxed and chill that we didn't even think to take any photos. Also happy thinking about friends back in the US having babies and birthdays. :)

Upward and Inland

From Tavira, we traveled north through the Eastern Algarve (after Dave went for a quick run that is). We stopped in Alcoutim, a cute town on the Guadiana River, for a coffee and to stretch our legs. On the opposite side of the river is a Spanish town, which is the closest we decided to get to Spain. Originally, we thought about crossing the border and going to Seville, but decided that there was more than enough to see in Portugal and that we'd be too hurried if we tried to pack in Spain, too. Guess we'll just have to come back and explore Spain next time.

Shortly after leaving Alcoutim we came across all of these cutie pies crossing the road. There seemed to be an endless stream of sheep and goats crossing the road. Super cute and worth the pause in the trip.

We continued the road trip with stops in the cute towns of Moura and Monsaraz.

Then we settled into Evora for a couple nights. Although it's a relatively small city, Evora is quite lively and is a major hub in the region. The university (the second oldest in the country) probably plays a role in its vibrancy. Our hotel has a mid-century modern vibe, which we love.

Tavira

The Tavira love fest continues. The hotel is divine, and to Dave's delight, our room has a bidet. He's trying to figure out if we can retrofit our bathroom at home to add one. And he's contemplating how distressing it must be for people who grow up with the joy of bidet living to move to the US and have to live without. So, if anyone is wondering what to get Dave for Christmas there you go...

After Dave's 20 mile long run we took the ferry to the Ilha de Tavira and enjoyed a lovely day at the beach, including massages in a hut while listening to the waves crash against the shore. It was nice to have a relaxing day in the sun. We finished the day with a tasty meal at an Indian restaurant and a stroll along the river.

Eastern Algarve

This morning we took a boat ride along the Lagos coastline to see the grottos. They were amazing and gorgeous. It was fairly windy and we were glad we opted for the lazy boat trip versus renting kayaks. It may have been too windy for my stomach's liking, and thankfully I was able to keep my breakfast down. I looked pretty green by the end of the boat trip, though.

After regaining my equilibrium, we packed up the car and headed East. We stopped in a cute fishermen's village, Olhao, for lunch and a stroll along the water.

We decided to stay in Tavira and just like our guide book said, once we were there one night just didn't seem long enough. We're staying at a pousada (renovated old, historical building). This one is a converted convent and is absolutely amazing. We love Tavira - probably our favorite place in Portugal (so far). The town is quaint and picturesque, there's a great beach, it's not too touristy, and we can totally get buy speaking English and very broken Portuguese. We had another yummy traditional Portuguese meal. I can't seem to get enough tuna (atum) and Dave has probably eaten at least two pigs since we arrived in Portugal. And together, we've consumed gallons and gallons of coffee, one large shot at a time. We've grown accustomed to having a coffee after dinner (and lunch for that matter). Tastes so good after a large meal, which seems to be every meal.

Lagos

Our hotel overlooks the marina - a great view to start, or end, the day. 

Dave went for a run this morning while I explored the town and found the biggest sun hat and highest SPF sunscreen to protect my pale skin. I stopped at a local market which included yummy looking olives and not so yummy (to me) live chickens and rabbits. Pretty sure the rabbits knew what was up - they don't look too happy.

We then walked to a distant, but well worth the hike, beach. The water was pretty chilly, so we mostly relaxed on the beach and napped. Well, I relaxed and napped, Dave explored the cliffs, rocks, and sand. And spotted a topless sunbather, so everyone's happy. After the long walk back into town, we did some much needed laundry and ate another huge dinner. Funny how we can eat the biggest portion of fish / pork and still have room for dessert. We took a stroll along the marina and are now plotting where our adventures will take us next.

There are quite a few dogs in Lagos. I miss Mia.....

Heading to the Beach

Goodbye Lisbon, hello Algarve (after Dave's morning run)! We rented a car and headed south to the coastal resort town of Lagos in The Algarve. We stopped for lunch in Alacer do Sal, a charming small town outside of Lisbon on the River Sado (I think.....).

Next, we stopped for a little walk and some ice cream at Vila Nova de Milfontes, a cute town on the western coast in the Alentejo region.

In Lagos, I had one of the best meals of my life - fresh grilled tuna, potatoes, and a healthy pour of delicious vinho verde wine. The portions are huge in Portugal. Dave and I could have split a meal and still been stuffed. That didn't stop us from getting dessert, of course.

Sintra

After Dave started the day with another run we went to Sintra, a scenic small town about 45 mins outside of Lisbon for more walking. It's tucked into the hillside and has countless beautiful castles and homes. We trekked up to the old ruins of the Moorish Castle built in the 8th and 9th century and toured Sintra's National Palace.

We ended our day with a bit of shopping in Lisbon and some bacalau cakes (fried cod balls). Quite yummy!

More Lisbon

A lot more walking today, after Dave started the day with a run. We took a leisurely (not really), 8 mile stroll to a monument on the river that is old and has very intricate carvings of sailors / diplomats / religious dudes? If we were better tourists we'd read the signs and learn more about what we were looking at. Regardless, it was big and awesome. There was another monument that was even older (I think from the 1500's) and had even more intricate carvings. When you're around any somewhat touristy spot in Lisbon, there's someone trying to sell you a selfie stick every three feet. We resisted and took our photos the old fashioned way.

Then we walked by a cool looking museum, through a botanical garden, and stopped for lunch for the biggest piece of cod that I've ever seen. Portions are huge here and it may be the first time in my life when I don't feel the need to salt my food. The seafood is delicious and Dave is in pork heaven. Also, booze is super cheap - a glass of wine is about $2.

We also rode a funicular down one of the many Lisbon hills. Not quite sure about the difference between a funicular and a trolley - you can ride both in Lisbon, but funicular is more fun to say.

In honor of our honeymoon, we've been taking photos of hearts and lovey dovey things around Lisbon. Our host arranged flower pedals in the shape of a heart on our bed when we arrived - pretty darn cute.

Exploring Lisbon

We woke up fairly groggy, but ready to hit the streets of Lisbon. Our flat overlooks a bustling square filled with tourists, protesters, and other people who maybe know the significance of the statue in the center of it. It's pretty, in a very convenient location, and has a good breakfast location right downstairs, so we're happy.

We covered almost 10 miles, including the Baixo, Chiado, and Alfama neighborhoods. It was a pretty windy day, but quite warm otherwise. The castle was pretty cool and had amazing views of the city. Portugal is known for their tiles and many buildings have beautiful tiled facades.

The Portuguese are definitely serious about their coffee and have more places to get some than Seattle. Just about every 10 feet and at all times of day there are people sitting out in cafes sipping coffee. We've been quite grateful for the caffeine given that our bodies have no idea whether they should be awake or sleeping. These are our 'large' coffees with milk.

For dinner, we went to a fabulous place, Largo, and dined next to a tank full of swimming jelly fish. The tank lights changed colors every couple minutes which made the jellies look extra cool.  

And we're off!

Still reeling from the best wedding we could have dreamed of, it was a little surreal that we were actually leaving on our honeymoon and heading to Portugal for almost three weeks. We boarded out first flight, to London, and settled in for our eight hour flight. We were able to get early honeymoon boarding (not really, we used our Alaska airlines status) and for a few minutes had the section of the plane to ourselves.

The flight wasn't exactly the best start to our honeymoon. The man sitting behind us had several panic attacks throughout the flight, which consisted of talking loudly (screaming), hitting the back of the seat, and grabbing Dave's shoulder. He was loaded on a wheelchair and it sounded like he recently had eye surgery and couldn't speak english. We were pretty grateful to get off the plane and were ready for a meal and a beer. Our flight from Heathrow to Lisbon was delayed so we had an extended stay in Heathrow. Things started looking up as we boarded the flight to Lisbon with about 20 Portuguese rugby players (sorry, missed a photo of that).

After the flight, relatively brief wait in the customs line, and short taxi ride, we were thankful to finally arrive at our Lisbon home in the Chiado neighborhood. After grabbing a bite to eat and drinking more beer, we took a brief stroll around the hood before passing out for a 10 hr snooze.