This ones for you Kenny!

Montenegro to Finland

The last time I wrote we were on a night train from Istanbul to Montenegro. We had been warned about the delays at the border crossings and amount of patience needed to travel via train. We second that warning. We had paid for a ticket all the way to Bucharest with one ‘lay over’ in Sofia, Bulgaria. The border crossings actually went pretty smooth for us. The ‘lay over’ became a ‘laid out’ after we got knocked around because apparently the train peeps in Sofia do not honor the ticket we bought in Istanbul for Bucharest. Sure, we could get to Bucharest but would have to pay them more money...not happenin for these super heroes…that’s beer/food money. We picked ourselves up and found an alternative route to our destination in Montenegro via bus that would actually take us a more direct route and for less money…saweet!!! Not that the punches didn’t keep comings. One leg of the bus route was stopped because of a truck/car accident on a two lane road…we were still on our feet though and caught our connecting bus despite the delay. In the wee hours of the morning, we were directed onto yet another bus to be informed we owed money for our backpacks so they would watch them for us…huh?!?!?!?! It is way too early, we were way too tired and stinky to throw down more money for bags we were hauling around and ‘watching’…check please. The hot tip thrown our way via the bus attendant, “Welcome to the Balkans this is how we do it here.” Niiice. And tomorrow is a new day!-smile.

Luck is a lady and she graced us with a wonderful place to stay in Kotor, Montenegro. We headed this direction on a referral from a fellow traveler and send blessings to that traveler for the tip. Kotor is a fairy tale of a place with a fabulous farmers market with cheese I still dream about. I was not joking when I told the cheese man I was coming back to work on their family farm and learn how to make cheese…and olive oil, chorizo, custards…the list is long and yummy thanks to the Europeans. Matt and I showered after settling into our room in a 17th century mansion and went for a walk. Kotor was built on a fjord and what we learned later and would recommend when one visits is to rent a boat or car and go exploring all of the villages around the lake. There are lots of little nooks and crannies for people to poke their noses into and explore. We settled on hiking to the top and checking out St Ivan's Fortress. The views are worth every single one of the bazillion steps it takes to get there. Fun bit of info about Montenegro: it had the second tallest people on the planet at one time(behind the Swahili of Africa). I fit in just fine, but Matt looked like a Montenegrin mini-me.

The next day we headed for Dubrovnik, Croatia via bus. When on this bus be sure to set on the side of the driver…great views of the lake and surrounding villages if you did not rent a boat or car. Dubrovnik was again a fairy tale of a place and Matt and I decided this was the perfect place to lick our travel worn wounds and stay for a bit. We found a great hostel (http://www.begovic-boarding-house.com/) and were so grateful to chill in the waters of Croatia. We recommend taking a ferry out to Lopud Island for a day and sunny yourself like a lizard on the rocks. On the island they have a fascinating botanical garden which survived 50 hits during the bombing in 1991. It is not your typical tropical lush botanical garden but a garden which contains plant species which are being monitored and studied to see how they thrive/or not in the present climate they are in. There is also a PKK beach on the island. Peak Kause you Kan refers to nuding up or as we were schooled one night in Helsinki being a naturalist. There are fascinating views (get your mind outta the gutter they are not of the naturalist-smile) from the island of old town Dubrovnik. Perhaps the BEST view though is from Cold Drink in old town. Get lost in the city and find your oasis…Godspeed my friend! We loved Dubrovnik and added it to our list of places we will return to someday…that and Korcula which was our next stop.

Korcula is known for its olive oil (love the place already), dessert wine, Marco Polo and, in our book, yummy pizza (http://www.korculainfo.com/restaurants/pizzeria-tedeschi.html). We lucked out again with a wonderful place to stay with a local family who converted part of their 600 year old house into a guest house. Their daughter is the one who owns the yummy pizza joint (Kurt’s is still our favorite though…miss ya Dooley!). We took a bus out to Lumbarda for the day and found a little spot to bake and get wet. Not before walking through fields of sun drenched grapes, raspberries and olive trees though. We could just imagine how beautiful this area must be during harvest. Matt got lost one day on a ferry while we were still in Dubrovnik and was told of the great and enchanting hiking to be done on some of the islands. The tale was told with goose bumps and as we were traveling via ferry through the Croatian islands we believe. From Croatia we made our way to Prague via train and airplane overnighting in Berlin…weee!!!


In Prague we were graced to meet Ray and be initiated into our first couch surfing experience (http://www.couchsurfing.org/chsurfing.org/). Matt had traveled to Prague twenty years ago (just after the fall of Communism) and it was interesting to hear Ray and him compare the Prague past with the Prague present. It has had quite a face lift and is filled with all sorts of wonder – like beer gardens with incredible views, black light Beatles musicals, super long stairway to heavenesque subway escalators, get outta town drop dead amazing architecture and…killer ribs and hot wings! (courtesy of Ray and his skinny on all the good places to eat in Prague).

Prague led us to Russia and seeing red and having vertigo because we did not know how to read any of the signs and hospitality and helpfulness is not high up on the tourism boards list of desired qualities in their staff. Matt’s likable, warm personality barely put a dent in the perma frost of the employees at the hostels we stayed in. Sure, they have all been through some shit historically but so have the Irish and they were the friendliest people you could ever meet. As my uncle noted, “perhaps it’s because they do not have any good beer.” We’ll go with that-smile. What they do have is stunning architecture, beautiful countryside, the Hermitage (you need at least a week alone to fully appreciate this amazing museum) and Madonna! Yep, we managed to scalp two front area tickets to Madonna’s Sticky and Sweet concert in Palace Square in St Petersburg. Madge put on an amazing concert and song lyrics such as ‘come together from every nation’ took on a whole new meaning for us. It was awesome and the perfect finale to our travels in Russia.

We have been in Finland for four days and are grateful for the smiles, saunas and peacefulness of this beautiful country. Well, that and their smoked salmon, cheap but good beers and wide variety of hard cider-smile. Next stop…Hong Kong…whoa Nelly!!!

Images from Turkey

Turkey Tales

The word from travel agents and guide books is that the bus system in Turkey is top notch. They go everywhere, cheap, and rather fast. That’s what we heard.

It seemed too good to be true, and alas it was….sorta. What they don’t explain in the books or at the travel agencies is HOW to ride the bus. The Turks are an open, hospitable, savvy culture that also has an edge of sinister. Our first taste of Turkey bus protocol happened when we were going from Kusadasi to Pamukkale. We were the first ones on the bus, and have a fair amount of hand luggage, so I took the front seat to myself, and Cat occupied a double seat in row 2. That was fine until we got to the next bus stop. A family boarded, and took seats behind us. The woman talked animatedly to the driver in Turkish, and got approving nods from her family and other riders. At our next stop, the driver asked me to move, and join seats with Cat, which I complied with because, well, he’s the driver. The old woman promptly took my front row seat (with extra leg room), and I piled in next to Cat. As we rode along, I got more and more indignant and angry, and hoped that every over weight, smelly new passenger would sit next to the old lady that had bilked me out of my seat. After a couple of hours, she did have to share a seat, but by then I had lost feeling in my toes, and was miserable.

Lesson #1 – there are no innocent old ladies in Turkey. They are all undercover agents for the Turkish secret service.

Our next bus ride was an overnight (painful) ride from Pamukkale to Cappadocia. We had assigned seats, so we thought we had to stay put. But, as the night carried on, there was a game of musical chairs played at every bus station. Every three hours, the bus stopped at a new station, some people got off, and others boarded. We were crammed into our assigned seats while all the Turks were lounging across the isle, or in the “penthouse” back seat row for a fully horizontal sleeping experience. When we exited the bus in Cappadocia, we were haggard and needed chiropractic attention (stat) while the Turks emerged sprite and chipper.

Lesson #2 – if you see an open seat, snag it.

Having learned a few lessons going East in Turkey, we applied our knowledge to the ride West, back to Istanbul. We arrived an hour early for our bus, and went to the bus company desk to check our gate number. Cat reminded me to also try to change our assigned seats, and get the “penthouse”, which I successfully did without a problem. We sprawled out in the back row like the Sultan (Sulteo??) and the Queen. But, the driver and his assistant (eg. flight attendant) were evidently pissed that two strangers had the back seat. So, they repeatedly came to the back and told us to sit up and cram together. We complied for a few minutes, then promptly sprawled, just like we had been taught by the locals. When darkness settled in, the assistant, motioned to the driver, and asked us to move up a row, and let a Turkish gentleman have the penthouse. Cat dug in like it was the battle of the bulge. She pulled out our tickets, and ranted that these were our assigned seats and we weren’t moving for anybody. After about 5 minutes of Turkey and English verbal sparing where everybody was talking and nobody understood a word, the assistant gave up the chase, and waved his hands at us in disgust. “Keep your damn seats”, he motioned. Later on the assistant plops down in the seats in front of Matt and begins to strike up a friendship. Truce had clearly been called on the seat war and peace began. Awhile had passed and at one point the daily ritual of playing cards began. Cheering, knee slapping and such was taking place among the three of us when we received our final blessing. Mehmet, the assistant now turned travel comrade, leaves only to return with a bottle of vanilla scented spray. Smiling broadly he begins to douse Matt and I and the whole back area otherwise known as the penthouse with this spray. Nothing like the honesty of a true friend...we stunk and thanks to Mehmet we were now vanilla fresh inside and out.

Lesson #3 – get assigned seats in the penthouse, and never give ‘em up no matter what the driver says or wants.

Montenegro or bust!!!

Our exploration of Turkey has left Matt and I breathless at moments. The landscape of Turkey is awe inspiring. Matt is writing in more details and we will post in two days.

In about an hour we are boarding our first overnight train to Belgrade with plans to land in Kotor, Montenegro in a day or two. We have been told the trains are slow (hence the time delay for Matt's blog entry) but worth the trip due to the landscape one travels through while riding.

I would like to start including places we recommend and do not recommend on our blog.

Recommend:

In Pamukale: Artemis Yoruk Hotel- Ann and Adam went above and beyond in accommodating our needs and always had smiles on their faces. Thanks to all of the staff there for a wonderful stay! http://www.artemisyorukhotel.com/

In Goreme (Cappadocia): Yellow Roses Panoramic Cave Hotel and Hostel- The host was absolutely over and above helpful in all aspects of travel planning and tour excursions. We felt so taken care of. The view was incredible and we were able to spend the night in a fairey chimney room for a very resonable rate. I did not find a direction website but wanted to include some way of being able to get ahold of the hotel/hostel. http://www.hostels.com/hostels/goreme/yellow-roses---panoramic-cave-hotel/21051

Cafe Safrak- This is a delicious restaurant you will find on your way to the Open Museum. The meatballs were one of our favorite meals while in Turkey...delicious.

Cappadocia Voyager Balloons- http://www.voyagerballoons.com/ There are several balloon companies being this is a huge draw in this area. We thoroughly enjoyed our balloon captain, the champagne toast and certificates of completions post fly. This trip was a splurge and one that we would splurge on over and over again. Definitely worth it...fly!!! :-)

Amazing Hike-walk past the Open Area Museum up the hill and pass Kaya Campground. There is a dirt road on the left. The road splits into three, take the middle lane. You will walk between grape vine fields and come to a wooden sign which is not very readable due to its age. Take a left done the hill and into the valley. You will come upon a dirt road. Go left. A little bit down the road you will see a dirt path. Get off the dirt road and follow this path. You will go through some good sized tunnels and even come upon a tea oasis. Take a break and enjoy some tea.After walking a bit you will see a path on your right. We thought this was Red/Rose Valley. It was not but was wonderful to wander around through. We back tracked and eventually found Red/Rose Valley and ended up with a stellar view from a church on top of the hill. This was about a four hour hike and was awesome taken around sunset. It ended up with us catching a ride with a gipsy who was teaching his daughter how to drive a horse and cart. Awesome. Our host at the Panoramic Hotel/Hostel was the one who directed us to take this tour.

Malayta (Mt Nemrut): The overnight tour which is arranged with Kemal at the tourist information center in the middle of town (near the kiddie park with the rides) is worth it. Spending sunset and sunrise near the top of the mountain and hanging out with the entertaining host of the hotel located there is priceless.

Istanbul: Mehmet at the Lamp Guesthouse became a friend. We enjoyed sitting in the lobby and laughing with him. As an added bonus the views from the top terrace are amazing and two of the rooms have an incredible view of the blue mosque...amazing. http://www.lampguesthouse.com/

New Start...Again :-)

It is hard to blog. I find it difficult to put in words our experiences. I do not know what to write and because of this do not write at all. As of today, I am renewing my commitment to blog and share our experiences…good, bad and everything in between.

Here we go…smile. To date we have been to Spain, Portugal, Ireland, Wales, UK, Italy, Egypt, Israel and Greece.

Spain and Portugal helped me further understand the inspiration of paintings and the draw natural beauty speaks to artist old and new. I was constantly overwhelmed with the natural light on a flower, brick or the lingering of a cloud. What I want to convene is the authentic beauty to be found in every little detail of these countries. I found myself envious of Spaniards and Portuguese. These countries need to be experienced at least once in a lifetime by everyone. I am on a mission to live and be a part of these countries and their cultures in the future.

Spain recommendations: Rent a car and drive. Be prepared to get completely lost driving through cobblestone streets, scratch the rental and possibly loose a side mirror. The freedom is worth every bit and more…drive. Take naps and be prepared to stay up late and eat dinner at midnight. Walk and walk some more. Toledo, Grenada, Madrid, San Sebastian and Bilbao. Become a sangria, olive and pinxtos connoisseur. Go to the mercados and stock up on pig, cheese and all the other goodies hidden within these treasures. Get lost driving along the northern coast of Spain.

I love the blue light in Lisboa! We did not get to spend much time in Portugal but loved every minute that we did. We stayed outside of Lisboa in Sintra. Sintra was the summer residence for royalty and the wealthy…lucky devils! It is nestled in the hillside and the last stop for the subway/light rail system to Lisboa. Perfect location to explore and catch our breath. Before that we caught a couple beach days in the Algarve Coast. Look for zimmers in residential homes when traveling through the Algarve Coast.

Ireland is as green as they say and the natural beauty of this country is also stunning and inspirational. What I will always remember most from Ireland is the giant bear hug I received every time someone spoke. It is not just the Irish accent I write about. It is the deep down sincerity and kindness attached to each syllable that left me absolutely in love with the Irish and this country.

Ireland recommendations: Look left and be ready to get cozy with the sheep while driving. Listen to local radio stations. Stock up on Guinness and Bulmer’s at the local supermarkets. Go to the English Market in Cork and buy the tzikiti…hands down the best in the world…Greece was not even able to hold a torch. Spend some time in the Ring of Kerry. Spend some time in Doolin soaking up the local music. Sunset at the Cliffs of Moher. Galway and Dublin. Go to the Chester Beatty Library in Dublin. Tours in Ireland are awesome. The tour guides have a wicked sense of humor and know their history…plus it is often included in the cost of the entrance fee...worthy. Go to the jail…very humbling…the Irish have been through some shit! Beans with breakfast, eggs that blow your mind and rocket salad.

The ferry from Dublin to Liverpool is a great option. I am not into cold weather at all and yet there were parts of Wales and London that made me a believer. Listen to local radio stations…the commentary was priceless. Rent a car and drive through Wales and end up at the Long Barn for a good nights sleep with the sheep. Hunt out and spend the night in one of the amazing five story houses in Bath. Circuses and I am not referring to the ones with cotton candy and tight rope walkers. Jane Austen. Walk your booty off in London and eat Indian food. Be the change you want to see in the world-Gandhi. Walk to Abbey Road even if you are not a Beatles fan…walk, walk, walk London. Return the Elgin marbles to Athens.

We did not get to see a lot of Italy because we were ramping up and then on the cruise. Rome is architecturally mind blowing. The Vatican Museum needs to regulate how many people they allow in their museum at one time. Regardless of feeling like I was wearing a bell around my neck heading toward the barn to be milked, I caught massive amounts of flies because my mouth was hanging on the floor from the beauty of the Sistine Chapel and surrounding works of art. On several occasions I found myself missing the Irish due to the Italian communication style. It is such a beautiful language to listen to however the attitude took a bit of getting use to. I was just getting the hang of it and then we left. I’ll be back. We visited Pompeii and I was so humbled by the innovation and genius of the past.

Egypt is dirty!!! The air stings your lungs from the moment you step outside. The automobiles have a language all their own and at first it seems everything exist at a near death breaking speed. It is a challenge and from the start left me with little desire to visit again. The visit leaves you washing your hands free and eager to be done. And yet I will go back. In the end, I am enchanted with Cairo and Egypt. Life is in your face and the city and county give you glimpses of their complex personalities which I do not want to ignore. It is a violation and abuse of every single sense in a human body. The country is full of friendly masochist and you just want to get to know them more.

Israel is shockingly clean after experiencing Egypt. There are road signs in three different languages and destinations are so well marked it would be a true challenge to get lost in the country…it also is rather tiny though-smile. We stayed in the Old Town in Jerusalem and did not get much sleep. Who needs sleep though?!?!? Smile. Worship can be heard 24/7. Our hostel had a killer roof top deck and I will always carry sunset and overlooking Jerusalem in my soul. Old Town is minute in size with so many different religions represented within its walls.

The best part of Italy, Egypt and Israel though was traveling with our families. Matt’s parents celebrated their 50th anniversary with this cruise. Aunt Pam and my mom also joined the celebration. The cruise had a mishap and the engine caught fire outside of Port Said. The damage was extensive enough to cancel the rest of the cruise. Matt’s parents and Aunt Pam went home, while my mom stayed with us and we made it to Athens (original end of cruise) on our own. I cherish any opportunity to spend time with Matt’s parents and am convinced Aunt Pam is one of the most amazing people on this planet and am blessed to know her. I am so proud of my mom. We really put her through the paces with a rigorous schedule. There were some dicey moments and she was a champ.

In Athens we met up with the McCormick’s and began our travels through the Greek Islands. Michael and Matt both have their stories of pirating through the Greek Islands many years ago. Carolyn and I have seen enticing pictures and heard incredible stories. And so the pirates and the virgins headed off to Santorini to explore. I was reminded of how deceiving a picture can be. There is a stark beauty to the Islands. There also is the reminder of what overpopulation and tourism if not handled properly can do to our natural resources. I loved hearing Michael and Matt’s stories of what the islands were like when they were there many years ago. I was saddened at the state they are in now. Trash floating around in the Mediterranean is not my idea of beauty. Stupid humans. Visiting the ruins of Delos is a must. Renting a scooter and having fish soup at Markos Fish Taverna at Kelafitis Beach on Mykonos Island is a must. Sitting down for a meal at Nickolas in Fira on Santorini/Thira is a must also. Find the Meat Deli in Mykonos town and purchase Louza…yummy!!! Try the Kopinisti cheese of Mykonos but avoid the Marzipan dessert.

Last night Matt and I said goodbye to the McCormick’s and are so grateful for the time we spent with them and their friendship. The past month will linger with us for some time and feed our homesickness. We miss our friends and family a great deal. It may not get noted often enough but we love, miss and think of all of you often. Thank you!

Tomorrow we head to Turkey via ferry. The ferry systems throughout the Greek Islands have been great and pretty easy to navigate. We plan to spend a night in Kusadasi and visit Ephesus and then head toward Cappadocia and the fairy chimney villages. We plan on stopping by Pamukkale to hang out in the thermal pools and check out the white ledges.
More soon!

Portugal-Algarve Coast, Lisboa, Sintra

The plan was to drive and see some of the Portugal coast, which was reportedly quite beautiful, and explore Lisbon and maybe Porto. When we crossed the border at 130 km/hour, we almost missed a vital first step. There was a “tourismo informacion” office tucked away near a truck stop. I didn’t see it until it was almost too late, and even then had to do a Rockford Files turn to avoid missing it.

At the desk, we inquired about beaches. “What’s your best beach, and where would you highly recommend going?” The female guide didn’t hesitate, “I think you should go to....” and she circled a few beaches areas on the map. In the lobby, there was a 6-foot tall picture of this amazing cliffside beach, so I asked, “what about this place.” She replied, “Si, that is Sao Rafael, and it is this place.” A circle she had already made on the map. After 10 days in various dense cities, it was Surf’s Up!!!!

We toured West along the Southern coast of Portugal, driving through numerous quaint farming towns. It was OK, but not spectacular. We had faith, but were underwhelmed. Then, we finally saw signs for Sao Rafael, and weaved our way to the coast. When we parked and got out, it was like curling up in your own bed after a long flight. The ocean breeze was warm, and wafted with a salty sweet taffy scent. We walked to the cliffs and peered down. It was one of the most beautiful beaches we have ever seen. The water was green, blue, and dark blue as it moved away from shore. The sand looked warm and inviting, and did not have a spec of trash or debris despite the pods of people. Huge boulders framed the edges of the beach, with several natural bridges for effect. Cat summed it up for us, “We need an entire beach day here.”

Our “loose” plan (we don’t really have any tight plans outside of our flight schedule, and even that is flexible on dates) was to stop for a picnic dinner, and then make our way to Lisbon for the night. But, a beach day at Sao Rafael had to be done. We had not asked about lodging, so we had to wing it…..again. The nearest town was Armacao de Pera, and we tried a few hotels and pensions, and even inquired about a bungalow in a nearby campground.

[Future note: The campground closest to the river, tributary, and beach in Armacao de Pera has family-sized bungalows for 47 euros. There is a pool, walking trails to the beach, bike trails all over the place, and they are charming and clean.]

We didn’t find anything we liked and were getting frustrated and tired of driving around aimlessly. But, aimless sometimes takes you exactly where you belong. We took a wrong turn, and drove past a old country house that had a sign up for “quartos, zimmer”. We stopped, and were greeted at the driveway gate by Maria, the sweetest of old ladies. She smiled, and pointed for me to follow her up to the room she had for travelers. She led me upstairs and down the hallway to the corner room, and opened the door on the most charming abode, complete with antique furniture, chandelier, and large balcony overlooking the small orchard and vineyard. It was perfect. We opened a bottle of wine, and toasted our good fortune. The sun was setting and glowed a soft apricot color. Maria had put a basket of fresh tangerines on our dresser, and we savored the sweet juices of unexpected joy.

Beach Day was awesome. We stopped in town for café con leche, and spent an hour on the internet. Armacao de Pena has a 2-mile long beach, so we walked it out and back for our morning exercise. Fisherman had dragged their boats up on the beach, and were cleaning out their nets. Evidently, it’s large blue squid season, because the nets were bulging with them. The morning breeze was cool, but the sand was warm, and we quickly shed our long-sleeve fleece shirts, and walked and talked the morning away.

By early afternoon, we were camped out in the sand at Sao Rafael. I dug a hole to make a reading chair, and Cat sprawled on her sarong. We took quick dips in the cold, clear Atlantic surf, and battled in card games of crazy-eights. Before we knew it, it was 5pm, and time to go. We were headed for the big city, Lisbon, and wanted to get there before dark.

We were ahead of schedule before we hit traffic at the bridge. I was cursing and full of rage. Cat was calm and determined. She had a plan. She had read about Sintra, a suburb of Lisbom where the royals and wealthy of ancient Portugal had gone to summer. It was a cross between the Hamptons, Carmel, Camp David, and Marseilles. But, I was in road-rage, and bitching about every KM we drove away from Lisbon. “Why are we staying way the hell out here when I want to see Lisbon?” Cat patiently and emphatically stood by her plan, “it’s supposed to be very cool, and we can take the train into Lisbon.” Skepticism poured from my steaming ears. She better be right.

She was. We stayed in a cute pension near the train station (parking included – bonus!!), and caught the morning train into Lisbon. The sun was shining, and Lisbon was in full bloom. The tourismo informacion was a short walk from the station, in the heart of the city, and the guide circled several key spots of interest. After a quick stop for café con leche, we made our way to the top of the city – Castillo Sao Jorge. What a magnificent view!!.....of the bridge, of Cristo Rei, of the bay, of old town, of the basilica, of, of of. We walked the central quarter and then took the bus to Belem quarter.

Cat and her little guide book. She had read about some pastry shop that had been making world-famous mini custard cream pies. Having bypassed lunch for the sake of touring the city, we were famished, and Cat was not to be denied. We were finding that damn pastelleria!!! It was near the palace, that’s what the guide book said. So, we asked a policeman near the palace. Our broken, choppy spanglish was interpreted by the Portuguese cop, and he pointed down the street. The guide book said it was on the corner, so we went to a shop on the corner. They had pastries, and Cat ordered. We split the first one. It was OK. We were both hungry, and would have eaten the ass out of a camel, so we did not complain about the pastry. Still, it was only OK. Cat ordered a couple more pastries in the hope for better results, and they were equally blasé. Well, the guide book can’t be spot-on every time, we thought.

We left the pastry shop, and headed towards another monument along the water. On the corner of the next block, I mentioned to Cat, “there’s another pastry place. Are you sure this isn’t the one we were looking for?” She replied, “It might be. It’s worth a look.” Sure as cookie dough rises, this was the famous pastry shop. Our bellies semi-full with crappy pastries, we still HAD TO have the famous custard cream pie. OMG!! Now, THAT was a dessert!!! It was slightly warm, perfectly caramelized on top, with a fluffy thin crust. It literally melts in your mouth. Yum!!

We left the shop riding a sugar high that could power Manhattan. After seeing a monument to the explorer-prince Henrique, we took the tram back to cuidad central, and into the middle of a parade. It was the 50th anniversary of Cristo Dei, and there was a huge celebration with over 500,000 people in Lisbon to mark the occasion. It wasn’t a standard marching band and motorized floats type of parade, however. This parade belonged in Burning Man, with a touch of Bay-to-Breakers playfulness. The costumes were outrageous, and mixed bestiality, religious motifs, farm tools, cow bells, and platform clogs to create a bizarre effect. At one point, a devilish creature drew photographer Cat into the procession, and surrounded her with a pack of cow-skeleton who gyrated around her until she accepted a shot of wine from the “sacred” (??) boda bag. Cat emerge laughing, red with embarrassment and smudges of satan’s make-up.

It was a random day of fun, beauty, and Portuguese culture. We took the night train back to Sintra vowing a Lisbon return visit.

Sintra is a hamlet, high atop the coastal hills overlooking the Atlantic. By day, every direction you look is a unique ancient mansion, villa, house, park or sculpture. We want to buy a B&B there someday. It is so beautiful and interesting. We had many potential day plans, but opted for the main sight of the town – Palacio Pena. The Palacio was the summer home of the royals, and it is amazing. Situated at the top of the hill, we hiked through a maze of walking trails, each with numerous little hideaway benches carved out of stone, and found lush gardens that integrated into the hillside. There were numerous monuments (the cross (cruz), the Giant, the small bird fountain, friars cave) high atop granite rock outlooks and tucked away in the landscape. Stone paths and stairways invite exploration and ooze history.

As one would suspect, the palacio was magnificent. What was particularly interesting is that the tour allowed the visitor to see the living quarters up-close and in a somewhat realistic fashion. It was not a typical museum, or at least it didn’t feel like one. We highly recommend people visit Sintra for a few day, and definitely take a full day to visit the palacio.

Our partial Portugal tour concluded with a quick stop at the pilgrimage capital of Fatima. We saw the cathedral, attended part of mass from afar, and shared an ice cream cone to mark the occasion. After Fatima, we drove out of Portugal with a vow to return – to spend more time at the Southern beaches, to soak up more of Lisbon, and to explore the Azores. Next time…….