tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2374473186995991832024-02-07T20:57:56.345-05:00The Adventures of John & HillJohnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.comBlogger196125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-33337536815145107922012-07-02T11:28:00.000-04:002013-11-13T12:01:07.618-05:00One Last Trip to the Algarve and Euro 2012Going to the beach often was one aspect of life we really enjoyed in Portugal, especially visiting the Algarve, Portugal's southern region. We gathered a group of friends and rented a house on the western end of the Algarve for a long weekend during our last month in Portugal. It was an especially fun trip because we had two temporary staff at the embassy who wanted to take advantage of their short time in Portugal.<br />
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It was also a great time because Portugal was competing in the quadrennial European men's soccer championship, known as Euro 2012.<br />
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We spent a lot of time at the beach, watched a lot of soccer and played a lot of our new favorite game, Spoofers.</div>
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After returning to Lisbon, we continued to cheer for Portugal in the tournament, where we joined hundreds of thousands of fans cheering for the national team as it advanced to the semi-finals before losing out in a penalty shootout to its biggest rival, Spain, the eventual tournament champion. </div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-31613529470460523762012-06-18T12:01:00.000-04:002013-09-05T12:02:34.058-04:00Saint Anthony's Festival 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Because we extended our stay in Lisbon for a few extra months, we were able to celebrate the Santo António Festival one last time. Because we organized most social activities in our community, we gathered our biggest group yet to celebrate the day in one of the city's most historic neighborhoods, the Alfama. We had a huge group - seventeen of us wandered Lisbon pushing our way through packed streets.<br />
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Grilled sardines are an essential part of the festival and in 2012, Sagres beer passed out sardine hats.</div>
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People of all ages love Saint Anthony's Festival. This kid loved showing off his dance moves.</div>
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And of course we played spoofers.</div>
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This friend enjoyed the festivities until he was pickpocketed. </div>
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Some guy tried to pickpocket Hillary, but she noticed and pushed him away while simultaneously pouring her full beer right over his head. He didn't stand a chance! It was a fun night and we were glad to have one last chance to celebrate drinking in the streets of Lisbon.</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-43737358836388471812012-06-01T11:58:00.000-04:002013-09-05T11:59:01.596-04:00Lisbon Sailboat Tour<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Lisbon is one of the most beautiful cities in the world. To see the city from a different perspective, a group of us chartered a sailboat to spend Memorial Day on the water. Here are a few photos from a great afternoon.<br />
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Someone challenged our friend Sean to swim across the marina. There may have been some Super Bock involved in his willingness to accept the challenge. </div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-3371676112560261732012-05-20T11:01:00.000-04:002013-09-05T11:57:43.799-04:00Paris with Brooke<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our last months in Lisbon were packed with fun with friends. We also took one last trip in Europe and decided to spend almost a week in Paris. Brooke joined us there and we rented a small apartment near the Notre Dame. It was my first time in Paris since 2000 when I went backpacking across Europe with a good friend. It was a much more enjoyable experience not staying in a youth hostel and having money to eat good food. Paris has had an explosion of gastropubs, small restaurants with really great food at affordable prices. We took full advantage of them. Below are some of my favorite photos from our trip.<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-84606774355548845092012-05-01T18:28:00.000-04:002013-09-05T11:55:14.605-04:00Alentejo GetawayWe took advantage of a long weekend and visited the Alentejo region to the east of Lisbon one last time in April. It is a beautiful part of the country and home to our favorite style of Portuguese food and some of the country's best wine. Our friend Michel went along with us and a couple other friends met up later that weekend.<br />
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We started our trip by eating lunch in Taberna Tipica Quarta-Feira in the Alentejo capital city of Évora. It was a restaurant we had read about in our food bible, <i>Boa Cama, Boa Mesa</i>, and it did not disappoint. Tipica Quarta-Feira can best be described as a hole in the wall restaurant in which there are no menus, but you are guaranteed to eat delicious Alentejano food. The owner does not speak English, but I would recommend this place to anyone traveling to Évora who wants to have a great dining experience.<br />
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We spent the long weekend at one of our favorite guest houses in the region called Monte da Fornalha. We had stayed there a year and a half before when Brooke and MaryKay visited and we always wanted to return. It is a beautiful place set in a cork forest just off the highway between the cities of Estremoz and Borba. The home was once a blacksmith's shop, but it is now a beautiful guest house with large rooms where a great breakfast is served daily in the large common room.<br />
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We spent our second day there touring a famous regional winery called Herdade do Esporão. It is one of the pricier wines of the region at around €17 per bottle and not worth the money in my opinion, but it offered a nice tour and tastes of several wines.<br />
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When I was calling around to set up a wine tour, several of the smaller wineries told me that they would not be open over the weekend because they would be at FIAPE. It took a little while, but I eventually was able to figure out that FIAPE was the region's biggest agricultural fair, kind of like a state fair on a smaller scale. There were livestock shows, food and wine display booths, local craft booths, fair rides, food tents and a nightly concert. I did a little research and discovered that the headliner of the fair would be a Portuguese pop star named David Carreira. We looked him up on YouTube and decided it would be fun to check out the concert since it was near where we were staying.<br />
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It was definitely worth going to the fair as it was the biggest event of the year in the area and thousands of people from the region attended. We spent the afternoon sampling wine, food and other drinks, driving bumper cars and eating at food stands.<br />
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And the David Carreira concert was great. We quickly realized that he was responsible for the cheesy Portuguese hits we heard in Lisbon dance clubs. The concert drew a huge crowd and we had a great time. One highlight was when he tried to spray paint the name of the city on a poster and misspelled it, not realizing that the city adopted the Spanish spelling rather than the Portuguese way.<br />
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Two other friends arrived the next day and we had a great time and went to one of our favorite restaurants in the historical center of Estremoz called A Cadeia Quinhentista, which means sixteenth century jail. As the name suggests, the restaurant is located in the city's medieval jail. Not only is it a great setting, the food is delicious and one of the new arrivals was blown away by his first taste of the region's food.<br />
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The trip was a memorable last visit to one of our favorite regions of Portugal.<br />
<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-41451260429281109752012-03-30T12:06:00.000-04:002013-08-28T11:12:05.273-04:00Lisbon Half Marathon<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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While in Portugal, I became a more devoted runner, so I decided to train for the Lisbon half marathon. It is a beautiful race set along the waterfront of Lisbon. The race begins across the bay from Lisbon and runners cross the historic 25th of April Bridge on the one day of the year when it is closed to traffic. Runners then continue down to the Praça do Comércio in central Lisbon before ending in the historic area of Belém just outside of the city. Hillary also did a shorter version of the race with a few embassy friends, so she also got to run across the bridge.<br />
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Before the race, I was determined to finish in under two hours, so that I would beat the time of a friend from the previous year. On race day, I felt great and my legs felt strong, and I finished in 1:47, averaging just over eight minutes per mile, a full minute faster per mile than my goal.<br />
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The South African embassy had organized a post-race party for the diplomatic community, so we were able to soak up the sun after the race and chat with colleagues while enjoying South African sausage and wine. Not a bad day.<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-83245476501469802722012-03-18T19:17:00.000-04:002013-08-23T19:18:22.073-04:00SpoofersWe went to our favorite Irish bar on St. Patrick's Day and found the place overrun by British sailors on shore leave while their ship was making a port call in Lisbon. A couple of the sailors joined our group for the night as we celebrated the holiday.<br />
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One of the guys was convinced that I was actually another sailor he knew named Kyle Blackburne.<br />
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However, the most important contribution the sailors made to our group was teaching us a game they called Spoofers. (Full name: Thank you gentlemen Spoofers.) The game is a strategy game in which the loser buys all the other players a round of drinks.<br />
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The game requires all players to have three coins. Each player puts any number of the coins, from zero to three in their hand and then holds their hand out in the middle of the circle with their finger pointed. The group then proceeds around the circle with each player guessing the total number of coins held by all players.<br />
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No player may guess the same number as any other player. After all players have guessed, players reveal their coins in the same order in which they guessed. If a player guessed correctly, they must stand at attention and say, "Thank you gentlemen spoofers" with a completely straight face.<br />
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If the player successfully performs the phrase, they are out of the game. However, if they laugh, smile, or have trouble getting the phrase out, they stay in the game and have to continue playing. This is repeated until only one player is left. The last player remaining must buy a round of drinks for the entire group, the type of which is chosen by the first player to go out.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-92006753298112615932012-03-01T14:55:00.000-05:002013-08-23T19:16:06.789-04:00Skiing in SpainIn February, we drove from Lisbon to southern Spain for a ski trip at <a href="http://sierranevada.es/">Sierra Nevada Ski Station</a>, Europe's southernmost ski resort, a short distance east from Granada.<br />
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The trip could be done in a day, but we were in no hurry to arrive at our destination. We stopped in Seville for a dinner of tapas before continuing to the small town of Carmona, a walled city dating back to the days of Julius Caesar. We spent the night at the <a href="http://www.casadecarmona.com/">Casa de Carmona</a>, a sixteenth century renaissance palace converted to a hotel in 1991. The palace had seen better days, but it was located in the heart of the walled city and was a good place from which to explore. After a traditional Spanish breakfast in the main square, we continued our road trip east.<br />
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Our destination was <a href="http://www.laalmuniadelvalle.com/">La Almunia del Valle</a>, a small hotel in the hamlet of Monachil on the slopes of the Sierra Nevada mountains. The owners of the hotel, Patricia and Manuel, gave up Madrid to open this beautiful place where they cook traditional meals using local ingredients. We spent five nights in what felt more like a home than a hotel.<br />
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We had decided to divide our time between skiing and exploring the area. We started our first full day by driving the short distance over one of the mountain passes to Sierra Nevada Ski Station. The prices were more affordable than most places to ski in the United States and far cheaper than what we would have paid in Switzerland or France. The mountain is a high-altitude, barren mountain with few trees. The lift lines were short and the a<span class="st">près-ski was great. Our last day at the mountain, we decided to snowboard. Hillary and I had both tried it out more than a decade before, but we assumed we would get the hang of it. Just when we thought we did, we would face plant at full speed. We both survived, but we were worse for wear. </span><br />
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We spent one of our days in Granada exploring the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra">Alhambra</a>, a ninth century fortress converted to a Moorish palace in 1333.<br />
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One great advantage of La Almunia del Valle is its proximity to Granada, allowing us to go into the city most nights for dinner. Granada is in the heart of Andalusia, home of tapas, so there are numerous bars serving small plates along with drink orders. We discovered <a href="http://www.puertadelcarmenrestaurante.com/">Puerta del Carmen</a>, a trendy packed bar that had arguably the best tapas we have ever come across - we made it a point to go back.<br />
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We also had dinner in Monachil, where at our hotel, we tried salt fish, a famous Iberian dish in which a fresh fish is coated in thick sea salt and baked for hours to lock in the moisture to create the most delicious fish you can imagine. On another night, we found a small local restaurant that had been carved out of a cave where we had a local white gazpacho soup called "ajo blanco", made with garlic and almonds. <br />
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The culinary highlight of our trip, however, was in Granada when we discovered <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/Restaurant_Review-g187441-d2055262-Reviews-La_Oliva-Granada_Province_of_Granada_Andalucia.html">La Oliva</a>. A small wine shop run by a retired lawyer named Francisco, La Oliva is a must-visit on any trip to Granada. Francisco prepares a tasting menu in the back of his shop using local products for a maximum of three tables. The meal begins by sampling local gourmet olive oils from producers he knows personally. From there, the meal moves through around eleven more courses, all prepared on a small camp stove by Francisco. He has only one person helping him with cooking and serving, and she and Francisco were generous with pouring and refilling all the different types of wine which accompanied the meal. Francisco explains the story of each dish he brings to the tables. To end the meal, we had chocolate ice cream, sprinkled with a small amount of sea salt and orange-infuzed olive oil drizzled over the top, creating one of the simplest and best desserts we have ever found. The final treat was a flavorful Andalucian liqueur. <br />
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We returned to Lisbon, via a more northern path, spending a night in the western town of Aracena, which is home to the <a href="http://www.aracena.es/index.php/gruta-de-las-maravillas">Gruta de las Maravillas</a>, a remarkable cave network well worth a visit.<br />
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-51062308960797960202012-01-31T13:35:00.000-05:002013-08-23T19:08:57.691-04:00Maxim Portugal Launch Party<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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At the end of January, we heard that Maxim magazine was launching in Portugal and that there would be a big party to celebrate the event. We decided that this was the type of party we needed to attend, so I worked my magic and got a group of us on the guest list.<br />
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Although our intern was able to work on important subjects of U.S. foreign policy, this party was probably the highlight of his time in Portugal.<br />
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Everyone else had a good time as well.</div>
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<br />Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-56273170342190847242012-01-15T13:34:00.000-05:002013-08-23T19:08:29.636-04:00A Visit to the Azores<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Nine hundred miles west of Lisbon in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean is an archipelago of nine volcanic islands called the Azores. Although no one knows for sure when the islands were discovered, the Portuguese mark their official discovery in 1431 by <span style="font-family: inherit;">Gonçalo Velho Cabral<span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">, a captain who sailed for Portugal's godfather of discoveries, Henry the Navigator. The Portuguese began to colonize the previously uninhabited islands in the ensuing decades. </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 19.1875px;">The Azores have a rich agricultural tradition thanks to fertile black volcanic soil. The region is home to large dairy operations that supply milk to Portugal and further </span></span>in Europe. The islands also held geopolitical significance beginning in World War II when neutral Portugal allowed British and American forces to build an airstrip on one island and use the region as a base for controlling the North Atlantic. A U.S. Air Force Wing remains on Terceira Island and the U.S. government operates its oldest continuously open consulate on São Miguel Island. The Azores were also home to a large portion of Portuguese immigrants to the United States, especially those who settled in the northeast to work in the whaling and fishing industry. <br />
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I traveled to São Miguel three times during my time in Portugal, and Hillary went with me for a four-day trip in January 2012. While I was busy working, Hillary explored the island. One of the island's most famous sites is Lagoa das Sete Cidades, seen at the top of this post. The lake, which lies in a dormant volcanic crater, is actually two lakes, which are ecologically different and have different colors.<br />
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The church of Sete Cidades</div>
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<span style="text-align: left;">Because São Miguel's industry is dominated by the dairy industry, there are cows everywhere. </span></div>
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Downtown Ponta Delgada, capital of the Azores.</div>
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Hillary and I stayed the weekend so we were able to explore together and visit a thermal hot spring in the Terra Nostra Park in the center of the island. In addition to a large pool, the park was a great place to explore to see the island's sub-tropical plants along paths that friends said reminded them of Jurassic Park.</div>
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The best experience of our trip and among the most unique we have ever had was swimming in the ocean at Ponta Ferraria. Recall that the Azores are in the North Atlantic and we visited in January, so the outside temperature was only in the 60s and the ocean water was about the same. However, there is a small area on the western side of the island where thermal steam flows into the ocean. During low tide, the steam heats the water to where it feels more like a hot tub. Swimming in a warm ocean in the middle of winter was a one of a kind experience.<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-63023874997379991202012-01-05T17:58:00.000-05:002013-08-23T19:04:20.761-04:00Barcelona<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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To celebrate the end of 2011, Hillary and I took a trip to Barcelona with a couple friends. We had both visited Barcelona during our backpacking trips in the summer of 2000, but it was time to see it again. It's a great city and we really had a good time. Here are some photo highlights.<br />
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Giant macaroni art </div>
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Doubt you're supposed to get in it - these girls must have no respect for "art"</div>
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<span style="font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">Casa Batlló</span></span></div>
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Park Güell</div>
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La Sagrada Familia</div>
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Park Güell</div>
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Nothing like a game of pass the pigs before going out for New Year's Eve</div>
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Getting ready to hit the town</div>
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Great Catalan dinner to end the year</div>
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Spanish tradition says you have to eat 12 grapes at midnight - one per second. Hillary upped the ante to catch a dozen tossed to her</div>
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Headed out to a club after dinner - thanks, creeper, for joining our photo</div>
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Another night out on the town</div>
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There might have been alcohol involved in the breaking of this glass</div>
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We still don't know why there was a recliner next to the urinal, but a photo seemed like a good idea at that point in the night </div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-80265765593333591872011-12-01T14:49:00.000-05:002013-08-23T19:10:18.164-04:00Chestnut Festival<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsN55GfTdvA/T0qHT4o4diI/AAAAAAAAeRw/5OKi3EqVQ3c/s1600/IMG_8721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsN55GfTdvA/T0qHT4o4diI/AAAAAAAAeRw/5OKi3EqVQ3c/s400/IMG_8721.JPG" height="266" width="400" /></a></div>
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In mid-November, we went with a group of friends to Marvão, a city near the Spanish border in central Portugal, to join the region's annual chestnut festival. Marvão is a medieval walled city on a tall hilltop rising out of the Upper Alentejo plains. It is a UNESCO World Heritage site, so we had wanted to visit, but we were really lucky to time our trip with all the activity surrounding the region's biggest annual festival. Enjoy the photos (a few courtesy of our friend, Matt).</div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;"><span style="line-height: 16px;">We sampled a lot of the local wine, served in your very own clay cup.</span></span></div>
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsN55GfTdvA/T0qHT4o4diI/AAAAAAAAeRw/5OKi3EqVQ3c/s1600/IMG_8721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; cssfloat: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a><span style="font-family: inherit;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-JsN55GfTdvA/T0qHT4o4diI/AAAAAAAAeRw/5OKi3EqVQ3c/s1600/IMG_8721.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"></a><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb21ttWwCUuwAhMJm6O1jkHTG8gl4v2wP14bZLOZbeeqWcL5-bqrumAb3dpqRhwOYPu6Xn7L03cvWX5-T3-honsZ9UqVizNkNJD-JpEKB5GLkNkgzlIlWAQ0F2HVtiKUm5gGcOPtQxuHpP/s1600/DSC_0045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjb21ttWwCUuwAhMJm6O1jkHTG8gl4v2wP14bZLOZbeeqWcL5-bqrumAb3dpqRhwOYPu6Xn7L03cvWX5-T3-honsZ9UqVizNkNJD-JpEKB5GLkNkgzlIlWAQ0F2HVtiKUm5gGcOPtQxuHpP/s320/DSC_0045.jpg" height="212" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And of course there are lots of chestnuts, which are roasted in big tubs over a wood fire to give them a great smoky flavor. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">And as Hillary is wont to do, here she is making friends with an old local who had probably never met an American.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: inherit;">It got a little windy up on the castle walls, which provided a lot of entertainment when the girls took their hair out of ponytails.</span></div>
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Locals sold the regional delicacies.</div>
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Including several different varieties of beer brewed in a monastery.</div>
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And everyone's friendlier at a festival, especially after a few beers.</div>
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We also tried chestnut liqueur.</div>
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And like every little Portuguese town, there was a castle with good spots for photos.</div>
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And trees to climb.</div>
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There was also live music featuring several girls playing drums.</div>
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This guy was getting into it. </div>
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Hillary with Ethan enjoying the music and the wine. </div>
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On our last day, we went on a hike near the house we had rented for the weekend and found a reservoir that gave us a chance to take the group photo we had forgotten to take at the festival.</div>
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<span style="line-height: 16px;"><br /></span></span>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-13320094971549150312011-12-01T14:45:00.000-05:002013-08-23T19:11:42.465-04:00Another year, another Marine Corps Birthday Ball<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">Since we will be going back to Washington, this may be our last Marine Corps Birthday Ball for awhile, so it was good to go. We're good friends with a few of the marines, so it was nice to support them. Plus, two of them had flown their moms out for the ball, so it was fun to meet them. Here are a few of the photos. </span></div>
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<span style="text-align: -webkit-auto;">We introduced a Mexican/Portuguese couple we're friends with to the ball. </span> </div>
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Our good friend, Glyn, picked Hillary up for the photo. </div>
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And then decided to do the same for me. </div>
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And of course, let diplomats and military guys near an open bar and this is what happens.</div>
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-1359584136431296422011-11-11T17:57:00.000-05:002013-08-23T19:06:36.719-04:00Jolly Ole EnglandIn October, I attended a two-day conference in London. We added on the weekend and Hillary came along. We stayed at the apartment of a friend over the weekend and enjoyed the city, which we both decided is among our favorite in the world.<br />
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We found the best falafel ever at Spitalfields Market at a place called Pilpel. If ever in London, go there.<br />
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We rented bikes and rode around the city, checking out Tower Bridge and the Tower of London along the way.<br />
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We visited a few museums, including the British Museum, where we saw the Rosetta Stone and I fist bumped a giant hand.<br />
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Hillary had tea while I was stuck in a conference.<br />
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We had a great time and realized that we would love to live in London. Better get working on that.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-28212945812117543032011-11-10T06:52:00.000-05:002013-08-23T19:06:07.111-04:00Chris and Leighanne - World Travelers<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">We were never really confident they would come. I had to remind Chris, the best man from our wedding, numerous times that he really needed a passport. But then he and Leighanne bought tickets, and we thought, "wow, they're really coming." We had a moment of doubt when we got to the airport and couldn't find them, but it was quickly resolved when it turned out they were at a different airport cafe. </span><br />
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They wanted to explore the country and see places off the beaten path, so after a couple days in Lisbon, we went north. Along the way, we stopped in Guimarães, the birthplace of Portugal and home to its first king, Afonso Henriques, who was responsible for the reconquest from the Moors in the 12th century.<span style="background-color: white; line-height: 19px;"><br />
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We kept moving north, almost to the border with Spain, to a small town called Arcos de Valdevez. We stayed in an olive oil press mill from the 1880s, which had been converted into a small hotel. The city was only a couple miles from Portugal's only national park, Peneda-Gerês, a mountainous area of inhospitable granite. The park is sparsely populated with small villages where life has not changed much in several hundred years. We packed a lunch and drove into the park, expecting to find clearly marked trails. After talking to a local woman, she pointed us in the direction of a trail that visitors sometimes hike. She looked at us like we were a little crazy though for wanting to walk up the mountain for fun.<br />
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As we hiked, we crossed stone walls used for grazing cattle. It was interesting to see how high up the mountain they would take their cattle to graze. </div>
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The brown dot near the summit is a cow grazing. </div>
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Although we didn't make it all the way to the top, we decided this was close enough for a group photo. </div>
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We kept encountering the same cow. The first time, I came around a corner and almost ran into it. </div>
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I'm not sure who was more surprised, us to see a cow on the side of the mountain or it to see people up there.</div>
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On our way out of the park, we saw some people hiking to a pool with a waterfall, so we decided to follow. We didn't have as stylish hiking boots as this girl, however.</div>
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The water was cool, but it was a warm day, so we decided to go for a swim..</div>
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We made our way to a few other cities of the north, including Ponte de Lima, Viana do Castelo and Braga.</div>
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Hillary and I had to get back to work, so we left Chris and Leighanne in a small town with advice on how to get back to Lisbon. They spent a couple days exploring Porto and Coimbra and made it back to Lisbon on their own with little trouble. The day they got back, we went to a UEFA Cup soccer game between local team Sporting Club of Lisbon and Lazio from Rome. Sporting won 2-1 in an exciting game in front of a packed stadium.</div>
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Their trip ended with one last crazy night on the town with our friends to celebrate my birthday. </div>
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It was really great to have them visit and share with them a country we've come to love.</div>
Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-36860790937960097422011-11-09T14:39:00.000-05:002011-11-09T14:39:39.888-05:00The Amalfi CoastI'd always heard good things about the Amalfi coast, so I was happy that we were headed there for 3 nights at the end of our trip. We were staying in Positano, and got there a bit late because of Pompeii, but it was nice once we arrived and saw tons of people eating dinner really late. The town is really pretty at night, so we walked around for a bit afterward.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFyniuphWdY/TnT1isqEeGI/AAAAAAAAc9Y/0x1xHd6d42g/s1600/DSC_0404.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yFyniuphWdY/TnT1isqEeGI/AAAAAAAAc9Y/0x1xHd6d42g/s320/DSC_0404.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Walking back to our hotel, we met this cat. He was a strange one for sure, and stared down at us from the roof, without ever moving his head or even blinking. I guess keeping a watchful eye out for his owners?<br />
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It was great having a balcony to relax on, and wake up to all the boats in the harbor:<br />
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One thing that was on our agenda was renting a scooter for the time we were there. It's almost essential if you are staying in any of the small towns in that area. There are five main towns, and we spent the days going between them, eating and finding beautiful beaches where we could swim. Here was our cute scooter:<br />
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Lots of scenery along the way:<br />
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We also stopped randomly to go on a boat ride tour of a famous blue grotto. It was actually pretty cool to see, even if it did feel a bit like a Disney ride with an (unintentionally) hilarious Italian guide.<br />
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Not only was the water amazingly clear, but it was also warm! While we have great beaches here in Lisbon, the water is never warm. <br />
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Here are a few more pics of Positano - all in all, it was a great trip to Italy. I like that we felt like we got to see a lot of different parts of the country. It would have been difficult to choose between countryside, busy cities and gorgeous coastline!<br />
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</div>Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05558089372959038119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-683731691796508292011-10-25T09:33:00.000-04:002011-10-25T09:33:38.435-04:00Pizza and PompeiiOur goal on the day we left Tuscany was to make it to Naples in time to eat lunch at Da Michele, the place reputed to have the best pizza. (Yes, this is the same place where the woman in Eat, Pray, Love goes to eat, but she chose Da Michele for a reason!)<br />
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We made it to Naples in pretty good time - then came the hard part. Driving and parking in the center of Naples. We had heard and read that you just don't want to do it. But how else were we going to get to the pizza place? We reminded ourselves that we'd both gotten used to driving in Jakarta, so how bad could it be? We were right, it ended up being easy. Of course there was a wait at the pizza place, so we walked around the city for a bit. This is how most of it looked - hardly any space between all the buildings and laundry everywhere!<br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Here are some pictures from our pizza experience:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SUlKULEd8TE/TnT0iKvAhVI/AAAAAAAAc5Y/lYlG4PPAapI/s1600/DSC_0298.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-SUlKULEd8TE/TnT0iKvAhVI/AAAAAAAAc5Y/lYlG4PPAapI/s320/DSC_0298.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1IfktkiT-Sk/TnT0lDivdSI/AAAAAAAAc5g/k6LY2FXMgCQ/s1600/DSC_0309.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1IfktkiT-Sk/TnT0lDivdSI/AAAAAAAAc5g/k6LY2FXMgCQ/s320/DSC_0309.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RmjakI7NzcE/TnT0ofuq7HI/AAAAAAAAc5s/OFP0JqYU6p4/s1600/DSC_0310.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-RmjakI7NzcE/TnT0ofuq7HI/AAAAAAAAc5s/OFP0JqYU6p4/s320/DSC_0310.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AFi6APH0aXA/TnT0pQIisnI/AAAAAAAAc5w/i-KM31Nr5so/s1600/DSC_0311.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-AFi6APH0aXA/TnT0pQIisnI/AAAAAAAAc5w/i-KM31Nr5so/s320/DSC_0311.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdpRg70LFFU/TnT0q3TXXrI/AAAAAAAAc50/84CxaU2pP-I/s1600/DSC_0313.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-ZdpRg70LFFU/TnT0q3TXXrI/AAAAAAAAc50/84CxaU2pP-I/s320/DSC_0313.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MY8Pk-sOCkE/TnT0sGXjDVI/AAAAAAAAc54/ENveAZ50EqA/s1600/DSC_0312.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-MY8Pk-sOCkE/TnT0sGXjDVI/AAAAAAAAc54/ENveAZ50EqA/s320/DSC_0312.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KpWuDC8K1S0/TnT0tTtEkuI/AAAAAAAAc58/sr_PkFVKf8o/s1600/DSC_0314.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KpWuDC8K1S0/TnT0tTtEkuI/AAAAAAAAc58/sr_PkFVKf8o/s320/DSC_0314.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
They only sell two kinds of pizza there - marinara and margherita. We had to try both, but decided to order another margherita after devouring the first two - just to be sure we were completely stuffed with the delicious pizza, which was pretty amazing.<br />
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Before we planned this trip, I hadn't realized how close Pompeii is to Naples. In fact, it was on our way to the Amalfi Coast, so it was easy to check it out. It was truly amazing how well-preserved the city is, after being covered in ash almost 2,000 years ago. We also happened to get there late in the afternoon on a weekday, which meant there were few other visitors. It definitely added to the creepy, abandoned feel of the city. Here are some pictures:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--7-Ka3VsP5Q/TnT0wzhfqUI/AAAAAAAAc6M/M1CDGs518XU/s1600/DSC_0332.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--7-Ka3VsP5Q/TnT0wzhfqUI/AAAAAAAAc6M/M1CDGs518XU/s320/DSC_0332.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
This dog was just cooling off, although he looked dead in the corner!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The detail which remains is incredible, like the paintings on the wall</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrY-RXKFFv1l2Hk2cPY9-fxvlbQFadaFL8Ewnwz7QlouQvm02NS0_R5d42TajxAd7Vc7AXbjn1NI_zIga3qhiEI9PrNvEzUICMBBTqy7qPxxnEAF8r6crDREJe8LCxoJ5EMT9Y3enwJ_oz/s1600/DSC_0339.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrY-RXKFFv1l2Hk2cPY9-fxvlbQFadaFL8Ewnwz7QlouQvm02NS0_R5d42TajxAd7Vc7AXbjn1NI_zIga3qhiEI9PrNvEzUICMBBTqy7qPxxnEAF8r6crDREJe8LCxoJ5EMT9Y3enwJ_oz/s320/DSC_0339.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GoulW27-79A/TnT02vVnu4I/AAAAAAAAc6o/pQs2pSI41bI/s1600/DSC_0344.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GoulW27-79A/TnT02vVnu4I/AAAAAAAAc6o/pQs2pSI41bI/s320/DSC_0344.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrXWL5XQ_ahvDt7sHXn-rcf8NqXAqHTTsIFuy2riFp0szmzJ5QBd62elPH0PT5ay4hlAAuWWjJGl-QXY7Z4FyPTXJvgX0fEs43RyUy-4l-JaN-Rm-itPi-tClVo8Vi38kZgKMjXFA8Pte/s1600/DSC_0355.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDrXWL5XQ_ahvDt7sHXn-rcf8NqXAqHTTsIFuy2riFp0szmzJ5QBd62elPH0PT5ay4hlAAuWWjJGl-QXY7Z4FyPTXJvgX0fEs43RyUy-4l-JaN-Rm-itPi-tClVo8Vi38kZgKMjXFA8Pte/s320/DSC_0355.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jSEl_tBvZuv8jqPYN1ZQXO9D66uuileaQkbumhg88YzxRseODOu9jhVd7kjhn8lNHsUzOfXqBg2A-toZkR6kkm8X0S931f7Hgax6xWDzeiOYswfACJb2a9aixMWsIBuMiBB_Z4pjR_XB/s1600/DSC_0349.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg2jSEl_tBvZuv8jqPYN1ZQXO9D66uuileaQkbumhg88YzxRseODOu9jhVd7kjhn8lNHsUzOfXqBg2A-toZkR6kkm8X0S931f7Hgax6xWDzeiOYswfACJb2a9aixMWsIBuMiBB_Z4pjR_XB/s320/DSC_0349.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PPSGIzsszuY/TnT08qQnNyI/AAAAAAAAc68/Xifp4Wi0sc4/s1600/DSC_0351.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-PPSGIzsszuY/TnT08qQnNyI/AAAAAAAAc68/Xifp4Wi0sc4/s320/DSC_0351.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Reputed to be the world's first "Beware of Dog" sign. <em> (Cave Canem)</em></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bLX04cC5n0s/TnT1A7EVR-I/AAAAAAAAc7U/oqVcgMOGOEg/s1600/DSC_0357.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-bLX04cC5n0s/TnT1A7EVR-I/AAAAAAAAc7U/oqVcgMOGOEg/s320/DSC_0357.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">One of the more interesting parts of the city was the brothel. You could clearly see the "bedrooms" with the stone beds, which they covered with mattresses. Above each room were erotic frescoes.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-urOiElSb66w/TnT1HVo8QDI/AAAAAAAAc7w/YmY7a8bqD3s/s1600/DSC_0364.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-urOiElSb66w/TnT1HVo8QDI/AAAAAAAAc7w/YmY7a8bqD3s/s320/DSC_0364.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--m5tq_bgj6g/TnT1Gah5EWI/AAAAAAAAc7s/HzlgEPaty-I/s1600/DSC_0363.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--m5tq_bgj6g/TnT1Gah5EWI/AAAAAAAAc7s/HzlgEPaty-I/s320/DSC_0363.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utyq70XEKec/TnT1IyyP1KI/AAAAAAAAc70/v6hvuDBLlSc/s1600/DSC_0365.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-utyq70XEKec/TnT1IyyP1KI/AAAAAAAAc70/v6hvuDBLlSc/s320/DSC_0365.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Mount Vesuvius in the background:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkKSD8s5utpYh9OdN6Y5-10ARlEq63J8prSjaBiKepyGcqt5CB6LVPJmlWE9P7RfSNBt3bJvlkp6fZafkN4-90Q_wNFd0iKvTjzOgPKCyvWhC7WIeVnySojREFgy4CRHNHB9X6mmr5P2I/s1600/DSC_0359.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjMkKSD8s5utpYh9OdN6Y5-10ARlEq63J8prSjaBiKepyGcqt5CB6LVPJmlWE9P7RfSNBt3bJvlkp6fZafkN4-90Q_wNFd0iKvTjzOgPKCyvWhC7WIeVnySojREFgy4CRHNHB9X6mmr5P2I/s320/DSC_0359.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Street view with modern-day apartments in the background:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XWxL0fIZKcQ/TnT1UUB-lsI/AAAAAAAAc8g/G9fgipOkXdA/s1600/DSC_0380.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-XWxL0fIZKcQ/TnT1UUB-lsI/AAAAAAAAc8g/G9fgipOkXdA/s320/DSC_0380.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Coliseum:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04XT-HVpy4BMTdLDxJ7CblBtL65fqAo_TMylWgw1o38I-frhxtGuaro9TI-i0pCHg9HHLH0TwbTWqOUL6A-iSRr4LJrTTwpXImPDGdUpa3E-KteEd9C4ZZBqA3YcN8_I0UXcDpnLcfiOt/s1600/DSC_0391.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg04XT-HVpy4BMTdLDxJ7CblBtL65fqAo_TMylWgw1o38I-frhxtGuaro9TI-i0pCHg9HHLH0TwbTWqOUL6A-iSRr4LJrTTwpXImPDGdUpa3E-KteEd9C4ZZBqA3YcN8_I0UXcDpnLcfiOt/s320/DSC_0391.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Our friend the dog was waiting to say goodbye to us as we left Pompeii - we were the very last people out!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lxJ5SJTyoo0/TnT1cARvteI/AAAAAAAAc88/hffUlTlHdWo/s1600/DSC_0397.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lxJ5SJTyoo0/TnT1cARvteI/AAAAAAAAc88/hffUlTlHdWo/s320/DSC_0397.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05558089372959038119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-25544601061663800062011-10-16T07:05:00.000-04:002011-10-16T07:05:58.975-04:00Tuscany<div>We rented a car in Rome and headed up into Tuscany. We were staying at<a href="http://www.rignana.it/eng/home.htm"> Fattoria di Rignana</a>, which is an old farm converted into a B&B. On the way up, we stopped at Orvieto, a cute hilltop town. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9TYef5FqT7M/TnTzTlEFtmI/AAAAAAAAc0o/rJZ2R712ZcY/s1600/DSC_0142.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-9TYef5FqT7M/TnTzTlEFtmI/AAAAAAAAc0o/rJZ2R712ZcY/s320/DSC_0142.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Striped church in Orvieto</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">The place we were staying was in the middle of the countryside, surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IllRAcv6J60/TnTzU1y4EDI/AAAAAAAAc0s/w7CMMCyn5TM/s1600/DSC_0143.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IllRAcv6J60/TnTzU1y4EDI/AAAAAAAAc0s/w7CMMCyn5TM/s320/DSC_0143.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">View from our B&B</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EzEAToF5wLQ/TnTzaC2saSI/AAAAAAAAc1A/zC6ecExnr4s/s1600/DSC_0157.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EzEAToF5wLQ/TnTzaC2saSI/AAAAAAAAc1A/zC6ecExnr4s/s320/DSC_0157.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">We caught the villa's cat making a funny face</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MkcMiuA8dJQ/TnTzfTY2-GI/AAAAAAAAc1Y/au5hiMknV38/s1600/DSC_0166.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MkcMiuA8dJQ/TnTzfTY2-GI/AAAAAAAAc1Y/au5hiMknV38/s320/DSC_0166.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The infinity pool was amazing, and we made sure to take some time to relax there.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ET_duem6TFQ/TnTzgWaj46I/AAAAAAAAc1c/zE_A4YJp4GY/s1600/DSC_0167.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ET_duem6TFQ/TnTzgWaj46I/AAAAAAAAc1c/zE_A4YJp4GY/s320/DSC_0167.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zf5sQBEWBSA/TnT0TaGkY0I/AAAAAAAAc4Y/pnZ7CYvyIjI/s1600/DSC_0266.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zf5sQBEWBSA/TnT0TaGkY0I/AAAAAAAAc4Y/pnZ7CYvyIjI/s320/DSC_0266.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYfpqzxNbCo/TnT0VS6jweI/AAAAAAAAc4g/tGbokbUP5Gw/s1600/DSC_0279.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cYfpqzxNbCo/TnT0VS6jweI/AAAAAAAAc4g/tGbokbUP5Gw/s320/DSC_0279.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">We wanted to check out San Gimignano and Siena, and the drive to these towns was picturesque as well. We'd come around a corner and see this, for example:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CaGsb1IcWUNAvy6HPy-r8gMNJK7imdIw1fBUETu10eSvWAlT2v0sbZGW_HLzn1hKellgKKHJscR5ZJmaBv7Ae7RxCwp-gI99Ue3lYrdnOR5mnHwNoENtXtch0P5ndu6PQ6XWMGQzBNTv/s1600/DSC_0172.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj0CaGsb1IcWUNAvy6HPy-r8gMNJK7imdIw1fBUETu10eSvWAlT2v0sbZGW_HLzn1hKellgKKHJscR5ZJmaBv7Ae7RxCwp-gI99Ue3lYrdnOR5mnHwNoENtXtch0P5ndu6PQ6XWMGQzBNTv/s320/DSC_0172.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Here are a few pics from San Gimignano:</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSwAQj3RlPXyT6PSQ_CldaZaQjNqnMJxR4Q4BidnLoQNyt8zr_q-FMsNGwvJIA_yq5M7udOqs0GyqTEJcotXh9peWz8xbSTFdf4t8A3rmBH5yFXkcpb0Pi9XoXaZiBnPLZ3H8ANqztW4e/s1600/DSC_0176.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHSwAQj3RlPXyT6PSQ_CldaZaQjNqnMJxR4Q4BidnLoQNyt8zr_q-FMsNGwvJIA_yq5M7udOqs0GyqTEJcotXh9peWz8xbSTFdf4t8A3rmBH5yFXkcpb0Pi9XoXaZiBnPLZ3H8ANqztW4e/s320/DSC_0176.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rpJ47KgzklQ/TnTzmrIDDOI/AAAAAAAAc1w/v9_PkYGudEw/s1600/DSC_0177.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rpJ47KgzklQ/TnTzmrIDDOI/AAAAAAAAc1w/v9_PkYGudEw/s320/DSC_0177.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKsMdmBmyD4/TnTzpsBq53I/AAAAAAAAc2A/1ARlVXuukas/s1600/DSC_0187.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-qKsMdmBmyD4/TnTzpsBq53I/AAAAAAAAc2A/1ARlVXuukas/s320/DSC_0187.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W7eCsq40rFc/TnTzt60d_zI/AAAAAAAAc2M/b1CP-8ojtZ8/s1600/DSC_0194.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-W7eCsq40rFc/TnTzt60d_zI/AAAAAAAAc2M/b1CP-8ojtZ8/s320/DSC_0194.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"> </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Siena had a beautiful public square with a giant clock tower, and more striped churches!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iTerfev_KtI/TnTzu7SMw3I/AAAAAAAAc2U/QmWEYk2zZw8/s1600/DSC_0199.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iTerfev_KtI/TnTzu7SMw3I/AAAAAAAAc2U/QmWEYk2zZw8/s320/DSC_0199.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MebpsY5wZrg/TnTzws6YtWI/AAAAAAAAc2Y/V8unz7WdV9Y/s1600/DSC_0203.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MebpsY5wZrg/TnTzws6YtWI/AAAAAAAAc2Y/V8unz7WdV9Y/s320/DSC_0203.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Even though this trip was less about seeing museums and monuments, we decided we might as well go to Florence since we were only staying about 45 minutes south of the city. We'd already done the must-see things while we were backpacking back in college, so we spent our time walking around the city, checking out the Duomo, and eating, of course. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0vrpcOdO7A0/TnT0LEuJQ2I/AAAAAAAAc30/zvECDJR1LKQ/s1600/DSC_0241.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0vrpcOdO7A0/TnT0LEuJQ2I/AAAAAAAAc30/zvECDJR1LKQ/s320/DSC_0241.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s1OzKuxc4dw/TnTz7XkqkoI/AAAAAAAAc3E/Y1UL4mGUA8s/s1600/DSC_0222.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s1OzKuxc4dw/TnTz7XkqkoI/AAAAAAAAc3E/Y1UL4mGUA8s/s320/DSC_0222.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The Pointe Vecchio</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iB_4lhlXrss/TnT0AURCHMI/AAAAAAAAc3Q/tVaJAsQBjeI/s1600/DSC_0226.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-iB_4lhlXrss/TnT0AURCHMI/AAAAAAAAc3Q/tVaJAsQBjeI/s320/DSC_0226.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20FZfjwPKdgdfRbmsNOqENribDiDvScUF1cqfLpU_7hxybio2sZioxCFa_Nq-nS2b0gzVC3G6LRHYfYWdXd8oKH7r8XhOQ4F8N3DsZOaYMCy_JfxPXZVSpzNfkokTkOC6Uua9YC5bxtMO/s1600/DSC_0231.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh20FZfjwPKdgdfRbmsNOqENribDiDvScUF1cqfLpU_7hxybio2sZioxCFa_Nq-nS2b0gzVC3G6LRHYfYWdXd8oKH7r8XhOQ4F8N3DsZOaYMCy_JfxPXZVSpzNfkokTkOC6Uua9YC5bxtMO/s320/DSC_0231.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRVWCu1mrmk/TnT0C6PQZkI/AAAAAAAAc3c/jhgGekuTVCo/s1600/DSC_0230.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-VRVWCu1mrmk/TnT0C6PQZkI/AAAAAAAAc3c/jhgGekuTVCo/s320/DSC_0230.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7BVlQPOuSZk/TnTz4Li0m3I/AAAAAAAAc20/TNehdf3bVgg/s1600/DSC_0219.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-7BVlQPOuSZk/TnTz4Li0m3I/AAAAAAAAc20/TNehdf3bVgg/s320/DSC_0219.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I took these shots of the river's reflection of the buildings</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FkAzJJY59Qg/TnTz2evlCqI/AAAAAAAAc2w/PvkyRvDvGAY/s1600/DSC_0218.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FkAzJJY59Qg/TnTz2evlCqI/AAAAAAAAc2w/PvkyRvDvGAY/s320/DSC_0218.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">I love that this one looks like a watercolor</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yy1nbkeocd4/TnT0Mep7RjI/AAAAAAAAc34/lWYTEaryISY/s1600/DSC_0242.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-yy1nbkeocd4/TnT0Mep7RjI/AAAAAAAAc34/lWYTEaryISY/s320/DSC_0242.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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We had some amazing food in Tuscany. Our villa had a great rustic restaurant on the property, which was so good we ended up eating there two different nights. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5Unt1BYlUs/TnT0fb5LXhI/AAAAAAAAdAU/nxN8Ij7HFg0/s1600/DSC_0296.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-a5Unt1BYlUs/TnT0fb5LXhI/AAAAAAAAdAU/nxN8Ij7HFg0/s320/DSC_0296.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>This is where we had the best dish of our entire trip - in fact, we decided it was the best pasta dish we've ever had. It was called "Sedanini alla Norcina" - sedanini pasta with Tuscan sausage, onions, cream and black truffle shavings. We remembered towards the end of our meal to snap a picture:<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWndrUs6dpk/TnT0aHgrmTI/AAAAAAAAc40/_VzPXOZM-94/s1600/DSC_0289.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-ZWndrUs6dpk/TnT0aHgrmTI/AAAAAAAAc40/_VzPXOZM-94/s320/DSC_0289.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>We also had steak with fresh rosemary on top, which I'd never seen before. That was delicious as well. <br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gyi32NWvZes/TnT0awK0N1I/AAAAAAAAc44/9T_CI8Ircbw/s1600/DSC_0290.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-gyi32NWvZes/TnT0awK0N1I/AAAAAAAAc44/9T_CI8Ircbw/s320/DSC_0290.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Not to mention all the great Italian wine which accompanied most meals. :)<br />
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I'll be back with the last part of our trip soon.</div>Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05558089372959038119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-41496548370084895612011-10-07T14:30:00.001-04:002011-10-16T07:07:13.236-04:00Italy<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">This is a bit delayed, but I wanted to post some pictures from our trip to Italy. We had a great time. We landed in Rome, spent a couple days there, explored Tuscany, and then headed down to the Amalfi coast, with stops in Naples and Pompeii along the way. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">First - Rome. Enjoy the pictures!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1o1r5QO-Kfg/TnTyDt1v0GI/AAAAAAAAcwQ/Fv9OwnhpoxM/s1600/DSC_0001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-1o1r5QO-Kfg/TnTyDt1v0GI/AAAAAAAAcwQ/Fv9OwnhpoxM/s320/DSC_0001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">"Bridge of Locks" - We stayed at a friend's apartment right near this bridge. Couples sign their names in permanent markers on a lock, and then lock it onto this bridge for eternity, throwing the key into the river. But what happens when they break up?</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vtn05goq8w/TnTyJTowAmI/AAAAAAAAcwg/DNtJpkfeBwc/s1600/DSC_0005.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-0vtn05goq8w/TnTyJTowAmI/AAAAAAAAcwg/DNtJpkfeBwc/s320/DSC_0005.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> John taking a break on the Spanish Steps</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KSfl5mp-RiA/TnTygrYZ_2I/AAAAAAAAcxs/P1cKqWssaec/s1600/DSC_0051.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-KSfl5mp-RiA/TnTygrYZ_2I/AAAAAAAAcxs/P1cKqWssaec/s320/DSC_0051.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The Pantheon at night is gorgeous</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6SbxpqXZleI/TnTyloi69-I/AAAAAAAAcyA/iojQRpf2RiQ/s1600/DSC_0067.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-6SbxpqXZleI/TnTyloi69-I/AAAAAAAAcyA/iojQRpf2RiQ/s320/DSC_0067.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Same with the Trevi Fountain</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EbNwp0XPuh41MwnrE1sA7vgkRJQBt00gCt2tBs1UWL8o7b6I8R1fztnYCZYwADEFUN46BRvLV8u12PF11VfBeUA0SeZ1Ki_YGL7-jOJ7_4E9BMdvEB6-axJmUpjbjHIfaNDT5g-QbvqJ/s1600/DSC_0070.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2EbNwp0XPuh41MwnrE1sA7vgkRJQBt00gCt2tBs1UWL8o7b6I8R1fztnYCZYwADEFUN46BRvLV8u12PF11VfBeUA0SeZ1Ki_YGL7-jOJ7_4E9BMdvEB6-axJmUpjbjHIfaNDT5g-QbvqJ/s320/DSC_0070.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> Awesome pizza in the cute Trastavere neighborhood - the place is called Dar Poeta</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g7xrOBLnA1U/TnTy2eaplwI/AAAAAAAAdA0/T1xV5_usQtg/s1600/DSC_0084.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-g7xrOBLnA1U/TnTy2eaplwI/AAAAAAAAdA0/T1xV5_usQtg/s320/DSC_0084.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-npMdTYdKOVM/TnTy5De8fLI/AAAAAAAAczA/6E6nF_TwrFY/s1600/DSC_0094.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-npMdTYdKOVM/TnTy5De8fLI/AAAAAAAAczA/6E6nF_TwrFY/s320/DSC_0094.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We couldn't believe that the Michael Jackson impersonators drew a huge crowd right next to the Coliseum... until I realized we were watching them ourselves and even took a photo......</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdIm8Zw7enNrCs9RtcokCny3v9WrquX_7T1SbxetRzfD-zXQ_cd1E48rMq8ycJOMdEx7RudT5qZqrG3FoSUAU84Ch7UTg2OeXY39Gnc-lGgN_xHj-gkHeg6_cYaW1sb5PhavxFNRDjBer/s1600/DSC_0114.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjPdIm8Zw7enNrCs9RtcokCny3v9WrquX_7T1SbxetRzfD-zXQ_cd1E48rMq8ycJOMdEx7RudT5qZqrG3FoSUAU84Ch7UTg2OeXY39Gnc-lGgN_xHj-gkHeg6_cYaW1sb5PhavxFNRDjBer/s320/DSC_0114.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"> The top of the <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altare_della_patria">Monumento Nazionale a Vittorio Emanuele II</a> just might have the best view in Rome</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5u83SJX-0ahPsp-bH3dwNX_BFeb7hZTYMAW411NfxQU5PaUUNPIYk97FGJV_Bi7u4QuPztgpPMXXproLJdd4_8qYKNCt1jUkzfR68A6jRRItn-fEB5eDil7hrWsYZAMDsNZiJHgHG69d/s1600/DSC_0134.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgU5u83SJX-0ahPsp-bH3dwNX_BFeb7hZTYMAW411NfxQU5PaUUNPIYk97FGJV_Bi7u4QuPztgpPMXXproLJdd4_8qYKNCt1jUkzfR68A6jRRItn-fEB5eDil7hrWsYZAMDsNZiJHgHG69d/s320/DSC_0134.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Another bridge right near where we stayed, which is called Ponte Milvio. It was nice staying in a true Roman neighborhood without tourists. Plus, it's a hotspot for people our age, so there were plenty of fun bars and restaurants to choose from.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zzTnu-sfDfs/TnTyasSDcTI/AAAAAAAAcxY/RHGXJdt2SeU/s1600/DSC_0045.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zzTnu-sfDfs/TnTyasSDcTI/AAAAAAAAcxY/RHGXJdt2SeU/s320/DSC_0045.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Our hostess recommended this restaurant near Piazza Navona, even though it's where Julia Roberts eats (in the garden restaurant scene) in "Eat, Pray, Love." Though we normally look for places off the beaten path, we were glad we went, as the outdoor garden seating area was beautiful, and the black truffle pasta was wonderful.</div><div align="center" class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Next stop? Tuscany!</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
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</div>Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05558089372959038119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-15406440758190528582011-09-05T07:28:00.000-04:002011-09-05T07:28:03.001-04:00Portuguese Bullfighting<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifSoyxjTH3U/TlE8id4P1nI/AAAAAAAAceI/ueXQHReyypg/s1600/DSC_0112.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ifSoyxjTH3U/TlE8id4P1nI/AAAAAAAAceI/ueXQHReyypg/s400/DSC_0112.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><br />
</div>Portuguese bullfights are different in many ways from the Spanish version. The greatest difference is that the bull is not killed in the arena. Another major difference is that the <i>cavaleiros </i>(horsemen) are the main figures of the fight rather than the <i>matadors</i>. The <i>cavaleiros</i> are dressed in traditional 18th century clothes and their goal is to place small javelins in the center of the bull's back. They ride Portuguese Lusitanos, which are specially trained to run sideways and dodge bulls. Here are a few photos.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wPvaO766rLo/TlE-nGyn1OI/AAAAAAAAcf0/jcKcIeizfJ8/s1600/DSC_0145.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="247" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-wPvaO766rLo/TlE-nGyn1OI/AAAAAAAAcf0/jcKcIeizfJ8/s320/DSC_0145.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zz9bkUbsQYU/TlE-3Oup_1I/AAAAAAAAcgA/Is8w6vULXX0/s1600/DSC_0150.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="228" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Zz9bkUbsQYU/TlE-3Oup_1I/AAAAAAAAcgA/Is8w6vULXX0/s320/DSC_0150.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-hinzeAIPfuI/TlFC3zLPs2I/AAAAAAAAchg/9btCcEP3WyI/s1600/DSC_0113.MOV" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://v3.nonxt7.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3D4bb102b2bab36ec2%26itag%3D5%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1313982336%26sparams%3Did,itag,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3D6D1CE77C60613BD7A9396E3C4AE51D7A36194D67.572BC52139FCC2338CC364B4F42C92FC8EDC8D2A%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://v3.nonxt7.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3D4bb102b2bab36ec2%26itag%3D5%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1313982336%26sparams%3Did,itag,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3D6D1CE77C60613BD7A9396E3C4AE51D7A36194D67.572BC52139FCC2338CC364B4F42C92FC8EDC8D2A%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE-idyeKfW8gMOOVEymXMZ8kV8us1rCuTVKLNGUdse_xzx7_Sx9K958iaUc1HLMDGfEI0nER5ZwSUAeXa66OqlIYtU3jrGQjmJucySRZAObzyKKF3ClMYMvgwjEvz5joHh1tcjUvjsofh/s1600/DSC_0141.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbE-idyeKfW8gMOOVEymXMZ8kV8us1rCuTVKLNGUdse_xzx7_Sx9K958iaUc1HLMDGfEI0nER5ZwSUAeXa66OqlIYtU3jrGQjmJucySRZAObzyKKF3ClMYMvgwjEvz5joHh1tcjUvjsofh/s320/DSC_0141.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
A fight ends with the <i>pega</i> (the grab), in which eight men try to subdue the bull by grabbing its head. One unlucky guy pulls on a green stocking cap originally worn by bull herders in the area northeast of Lisbon. His job is to make the bull charge, grab its head and hang on until the other guys can grab on to the bull and calm it down. They all let go of the bull in unison, but one man continues to hold on to the bull's tail. He then tries to the make the bull spin around until it's subdued so that he can calmly walk away. Watch the video to see the <i>pega. </i><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><object class="BLOGGER-picasa-video" classid="clsid:D27CDB6E-AE6D-11cf-96B8-444553540000" codebase="http://download.macromedia.com/pub/shockwave/cabs/flash/swflash.cab#version=6,0,40,0" data-thumbnail-src="https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-8gRFAYuTWrY/TlFUY7pgT1I/AAAAAAAAciw/5rwuq1hhM0I/s1600/DSC_0164.MOV" height="266" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://v3.nonxt4.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3D29cf4d6dd6da026e%26itag%3D5%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1313982467%26sparams%3Did,itag,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3DA4389AE7820A314DFFD36E52E99D5AF581B67339.2BA2D7CDF2978876EC653DB4E80CEE8282BB5531%26key%3Dlh1" /><param name="bgcolor" value="#FFFFFF" /><embed width="320" height="266" src="http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?videoUrl=http://v3.nonxt4.googlevideo.com/videoplayback?id%3D29cf4d6dd6da026e%26itag%3D5%26ip%3D0.0.0.0%26ipbits%3D0%26expire%3D1313982467%26sparams%3Did,itag,ip,ipbits,expire%26signature%3DA4389AE7820A314DFFD36E52E99D5AF581B67339.2BA2D7CDF2978876EC653DB4E80CEE8282BB5531%26key%3Dlh1" type="application/x-shockwave-flash"></embed></object></div>We recently saw a fight in Campo Pequeno (photo below), Lisbon's historic bullfighting arena, which was celebrating its 119th anniversary that night by featuring some Portuguese "legends" of bullfighting. The arena has amazing architecture and there's not a bad seat. Here's a few photos of our group at the bullfight and one photo of a random group of our neighbors (it looks like an ad doesn't it?).<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/24982/dsc_77280001_tte.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="The Campo Pequeno bullring - Lisbon, Lisboa" border="0" height="212" src="http://i1.trekearth.com/photos/24982/dsc_77280001_tte.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</i>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-44704528440024988562011-08-31T12:55:00.000-04:002011-08-31T12:55:56.948-04:00Super Bock Super RockPortugal is home to tons of concert festivals every summer. It's a little amazing how many famous bands come here and we're even more amazed by how many Portuguese can afford to go to expensive concert festivals every weekend of the summer.<br />
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We went to Super Bock Super Rock, one of the big festivals near Lisbon. Our friends had gone the previous year and said it was a lot of fun to camp and go to the concert. The festival was near the coast 45 minutes south of Lisbon. Unfortunately, it was down a tiny road and the traffic was terrible. Hillary, one friend and I went on Thursday after work to catch the first night of the show and set up tents. It took us three hours to get there, but we finally made it. We struggled to find space for our tents in the mass of humanity crowded in the area!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d2mkKU1z7g4/TlEx8K0agII/AAAAAAAAcb0/FciV4OVsWfI/s1600/CIMG3088.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-d2mkKU1z7g4/TlEx8K0agII/AAAAAAAAcb0/FciV4OVsWfI/s320/CIMG3088.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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We saw some good bands and eventually kind of got to sleep at 2 a.m. (No one warned us that club music blasts until 6 a.m.) I had a meeting on Friday and had to go to work. Hillary had originally planned to go back too, but the three hour car ride changed her mind. The festival venue was near a beach, but too far to walk. Hillary and our friend waited an hour to board the bus and then waited on the bus an hour to go the three miles to the overcrowded beach.<br />
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After work, three more friends and I made the drive back to the concert venue, this time with no traffic. Here are some photo highlights.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Our campsite</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ryTcq1R_8Is/TiSm7OTN9CI/AAAAAAAAbMc/Es6Lig-Pvws/s1600/IMG_0808-2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ryTcq1R_8Is/TiSm7OTN9CI/AAAAAAAAbMc/Es6Lig-Pvws/s400/IMG_0808-2.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">The garbage pile grew bigger and bigger</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vrk4GObpjWA/TiSnEZZ1ZbI/AAAAAAAAbMw/fTTeBol44UY/s1600/IMG_0810.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-vrk4GObpjWA/TiSnEZZ1ZbI/AAAAAAAAbMw/fTTeBol44UY/s320/IMG_0810.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">At least the beer delivery guy was never too far away</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmXckMn7q275IIn2RNW5XCmWejwLdY2IR2ZAK1NUxp333nYmeRvNzdL6tfaVFj-F6FikAZ4H1ikGNrPMWubtgBfC0YmfLcwn1clXhVt0ObOJf25TDKJOFMHipuAzmE7uAOiyy8p48mKiF/s1600/IMG_0811.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiFmXckMn7q275IIn2RNW5XCmWejwLdY2IR2ZAK1NUxp333nYmeRvNzdL6tfaVFj-F6FikAZ4H1ikGNrPMWubtgBfC0YmfLcwn1clXhVt0ObOJf25TDKJOFMHipuAzmE7uAOiyy8p48mKiF/s320/IMG_0811.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Random photo dress up booth</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vZswnFGqxAQ/TlE2pDKutnI/AAAAAAAAccA/0Saj8HKNFWE/s1600/Super+Bock+Super+Rock+2011+-+07.14.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="180" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-vZswnFGqxAQ/TlE2pDKutnI/AAAAAAAAccA/0Saj8HKNFWE/s320/Super+Bock+Super+Rock+2011+-+07.14.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"> We brought surgical masks because we heard the dust was bad. It was worse than we even expected. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rh-xJDfcCfg/TiSqLKrPgPI/AAAAAAAAbSk/rSFbr-C6-do/s1600/270481_10100231922617153_14212050_48667062_358341_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-rh-xJDfcCfg/TiSqLKrPgPI/AAAAAAAAbSk/rSFbr-C6-do/s400/270481_10100231922617153_14212050_48667062_358341_n.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
We had fun with our friends and saw some good performances. We won't be around for the next one, but we probably wouldn't be going back if we were. It was definitely memorable though.Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-80432647084499010422011-08-21T17:13:00.000-04:002011-08-21T17:13:54.638-04:00Hillary's Birthday Getaway<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26oVQrPjXcw/TlDoWDC9API/AAAAAAAAcQI/Puk9nRl-GPE/s1600/DSC_0081.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="266" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-26oVQrPjXcw/TlDoWDC9API/AAAAAAAAcQI/Puk9nRl-GPE/s400/DSC_0081.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
Hillary can no longer say she's in her 30. To celebrate her birthday, we decided to get out of town and explore the Alentejo coast. We have visited the interior Alentejo region several times, but this was our first time to drive down the 100 miles or so of coast south of Lisbon.<br />
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We started by going to our new favorite beach, Comporta, an hour and a half from Lisbon. It had beautiful turquoise water and soft sand. Although there were many people taking advantage of the great day and Monday holiday, the beach was so long that we walked a little further and had plenty of space.<br />
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Because we're going to Italy next weekend, we were trying to do this on the cheap. We borrowed a tent from friends and planned to find a campsite. We stopped at the first campground south of Comporta, but it was completely full. We called a another one an hour further south and although the tent sites were full, they had an available "teepee" that we could rent for the night. It was more triangle-shaped shed than teepee, but it did the trick.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vQdaVhnWlio/TlDpbNcEZOI/AAAAAAAAcRA/sqqR-epXcPA/s1600/DSC_0093.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-vQdaVhnWlio/TlDpbNcEZOI/AAAAAAAAcRA/sqqR-epXcPA/s320/DSC_0093.jpg" width="213" /></a></div><br />
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The next day, the teepee wasn't available, but we were able to pitch our tent. The campground was really interesting because lots of Portuguese go there and spend weeks. They set up elaborate sites with TVs, refrigerators, floors and potted plants. Our campsite wasn't so elaborate.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqPnwC5fHiA3hA7WpegWEEs3bcgYk6cDxguifmVd9YzPRx0a2cAHVeHYlUSMJjl3didUH9LkBJLhyphenhyphenHoTUiQyckgHPT2mkD1Aqn85P0-xbOJJdI3l3EthImCgBK71bTRUgEWxEHYWKCemH/s1600/DSC_0096.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhpqPnwC5fHiA3hA7WpegWEEs3bcgYk6cDxguifmVd9YzPRx0a2cAHVeHYlUSMJjl3didUH9LkBJLhyphenhyphenHoTUiQyckgHPT2mkD1Aqn85P0-xbOJJdI3l3EthImCgBK71bTRUgEWxEHYWKCemH/s320/DSC_0096.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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After spending our day at another beautiful beach, Zambujeira do Mar (photo above), we went back to Milfontes where we had camped and relied on our local food review book to pick one of the best restaurants we've been to in the region to celebrate Hillary's birthday. We had a great meal and Hillary's sister, Brooke, reached us by cell phone to say happy birthday right before we sat down. The next day, we made our way back to Lisbon via another stop at Comporta beach. It wasn't the fanciest birthday vacation, but it was great.<br />
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Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-53350239337055039282011-07-26T17:28:00.000-04:002011-07-26T17:28:21.807-04:00Jakarta friends reunion<div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH624maNEHCOkIWyLF-8sLIAUJNMzkC4M_xEpDBq4PvUbqiGwKMXNOtgPlcj3xTTMOm-sgBMwT16KZxKLeh2yzpe2KjNNVmbzpmr5S58nEdFIp3EvgEumj1F15n1DGVwmnLwGkZonxT-o/s1600/DSC_0001-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633771328152686658" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgH624maNEHCOkIWyLF-8sLIAUJNMzkC4M_xEpDBq4PvUbqiGwKMXNOtgPlcj3xTTMOm-sgBMwT16KZxKLeh2yzpe2KjNNVmbzpmr5S58nEdFIp3EvgEumj1F15n1DGVwmnLwGkZonxT-o/s400/DSC_0001-2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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I might be a little behind on our blog - but that's only because we've been so busy. In June, we had three different friends that we worked with in Jakarta come visit us in Lisbon. Hunter is now in Helsinki, Finland; Kira is in Islamabad, Pakistan; and Joel is in Washington, DC. (DC doesn't sound quite as exotic as the other two, huh?) I thought it was amazing that the three of them could get their work schedules, vacation time and flights to sync so they could come visit together. They were here for about nine days, and we had so much fun! I think the best part is that while they did a lot of sightseeing and day trips, they still had time to relax and enjoy their vacation - something that's not always easy to do in a European capital. Plus they got to hang out with our group of friends here a few times and that was fun for everyone. The above picture is from the requisite visit to St. George's Castle, overlooking Lisbon. I never get tired of the view from that place!<br />
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Here are some more pictures...<br />
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<div align="center">Group shot on the castle walls of Obidos. We drove about an hour north of Lisbon to visit this picturesque walled city. We had gone last year for the annual "Chocolate Festival", but this trip was nice because the city wasn't nearly as crowded. <br />
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</div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkCU2f_lR0FMsuRO70NnItrpYTl-vbIMId4M8cPXFDsEtwnsYusoaSYwNYLZVJSmJxSt9lTJq0Z6npl3hbAKgd64vmp3sMVZc_-ZSphyaQqC9HxkOcMT8x-n6ARM7K_dNX3vOvd5OxrA/s1600/DSC_0040.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633770342772112738" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIkCU2f_lR0FMsuRO70NnItrpYTl-vbIMId4M8cPXFDsEtwnsYusoaSYwNYLZVJSmJxSt9lTJq0Z6npl3hbAKgd64vmp3sMVZc_-ZSphyaQqC9HxkOcMT8x-n6ARM7K_dNX3vOvd5OxrA/s400/DSC_0040.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
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<div align="center">Obidos is home to "ginginja", a cherry liqueur that was first made in the small town. One of the ways it is served is in a chocolate tasting cup, which you eat after you've tasted the liquor - sort of like a chocolate-covered cherry. Our friend Joel thought it was the best thing in the world. John got a nice shot of the drinks being poured into the chocolate cups...<br />
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</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhyD96iDcqos-VUuonq3d7VpRINFmZ0anaeQlghg3ioOwerjgU9nyoyFIgBP9yg5v6k183qBYVYIH8KGXws6dx8L4jY0L9WRVdF7AjEXDUQSHdttLbB1SrkYhFNYudfgoLFwagr_zh-s/s1600/DSC_0036.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633768990638229250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEhyD96iDcqos-VUuonq3d7VpRINFmZ0anaeQlghg3ioOwerjgU9nyoyFIgBP9yg5v6k183qBYVYIH8KGXws6dx8L4jY0L9WRVdF7AjEXDUQSHdttLbB1SrkYhFNYudfgoLFwagr_zh-s/s400/DSC_0036.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 267px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div align="center">Here we are enjoying a home-cooked meal that Hunter made us</div><br />
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhFLtiWPAexkJmivY2V7zdoXeBWLxaDlGzc-N0qzlrA2QPizASsCcleHtrKSYpqt17poqSjW2ozozz2qAdH4iJYTQSLI0ZXSmGk78E4FhqkSxtzD4Tur2Xyahif89UnsCMbFzxcR2L2Q/s1600/IMG_0773.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633768342981883618" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmhFLtiWPAexkJmivY2V7zdoXeBWLxaDlGzc-N0qzlrA2QPizASsCcleHtrKSYpqt17poqSjW2ozozz2qAdH4iJYTQSLI0ZXSmGk78E4FhqkSxtzD4Tur2Xyahif89UnsCMbFzxcR2L2Q/s400/IMG_0773.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div align="center">You may remember our post from a year ago <a href="http://foreignadventures.blogspot.com/2010/06/saint-anthonys-festival.html">here</a>: We were excited for another St. Anthony's festival, and we were hoping that it would live up to last year's. It was nice that our friends were visiting during the festival, especially given the fact that we got a four-day weekend due to the Portuguese holidays surrounding it! During St. Anthony's, everyone pulls tables out into the streets to eat. While some may be the tables from people's kitchens, there are plenty of restaurants which have tables out in the streets as well. We had to wait a bit to nab a table big enough for all of us, but we did succeed! <br />
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</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEudJ-Ce60NtVIRYiKySGxJzBBBcaMHgNA2VmUCAL-NTs7gZZNe1nuMmdXNtKH01xLsf2WAR8fhwOsMOxyWvvMO-TPUVvxGyniOkQvNuxPJFhG-aylrRrzRXfxmj_0WihdIlTELGtOt0/s1600/DSC05829-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633766684323771826" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzEudJ-Ce60NtVIRYiKySGxJzBBBcaMHgNA2VmUCAL-NTs7gZZNe1nuMmdXNtKH01xLsf2WAR8fhwOsMOxyWvvMO-TPUVvxGyniOkQvNuxPJFhG-aylrRrzRXfxmj_0WihdIlTELGtOt0/s400/DSC05829-2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div></div><div align="center">At one point our group (of about 15 people!) stopped to take a photo. We were supposed to be imitating the mural on the wall behind us - although some people did a better job than others. :)<br />
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</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7mAn8NmAE2jj1o9xbg7ISHdviAQFyh_HEuxX1oZCbOW4FLkUOoZ-ptdGMRYXNgWD_nza8wnOIEDTfvsDBMHijaicddy6LvL5pXEvDaU-3ArbOBanRswvMCbnWTJSvHPEAidb3nBulvM/s1600/DSC05894.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633766132361232914" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr7mAn8NmAE2jj1o9xbg7ISHdviAQFyh_HEuxX1oZCbOW4FLkUOoZ-ptdGMRYXNgWD_nza8wnOIEDTfvsDBMHijaicddy6LvL5pXEvDaU-3ArbOBanRswvMCbnWTJSvHPEAidb3nBulvM/s400/DSC05894.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div></div><div align="center">By far the most crowded area was the street along which runs a funicular called the "Bica Elevador". Thankfully it wasn't running that night, because I can't imagine the funicular would even have been able to move a few inches much less the 245 meters to the top through the crazy crowd of people. Even though it was slow-going, they were selling beers in every other doorway, so no one seemed too worried about moving very fast!<br />
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</div><div align="center"></div><div align="center"></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjbRwIAl3dLpPmuoBK_Dg5KYyvslZYg1iouztPGJtW_7PhH7aqyKaEZzt6O2H5LoVGb95HF_DovJrWpyUOXd2At5NbBG-wAXK6SvAq10oxn-JKuWzm0POan_CT4Aewz6C9ZgAxh-oyHs/s1600/IMG_0687.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633764043741403426" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXjbRwIAl3dLpPmuoBK_Dg5KYyvslZYg1iouztPGJtW_7PhH7aqyKaEZzt6O2H5LoVGb95HF_DovJrWpyUOXd2At5NbBG-wAXK6SvAq10oxn-JKuWzm0POan_CT4Aewz6C9ZgAxh-oyHs/s400/IMG_0687.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a><br />
<div align="center">At one point the crowd parted to allow this band to get through - I love that!<br />
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</div><div align="center"></div><div></div><div align="center"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTfoP_VnWBFgfA5O-o9-XymEenhirubHVvN8HwrXSpt_0-9aD5yxgznzDf1MLyKGo1I_pqTREYZghsh6IYb0TYoSv5If_ic-E4nsKSTB6Zoep7G2vD7rUCGkzs8aMu8jzaK7mGr3A-d4/s1600/DSC05893.JPG" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633763728152456018" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDTfoP_VnWBFgfA5O-o9-XymEenhirubHVvN8HwrXSpt_0-9aD5yxgznzDf1MLyKGo1I_pqTREYZghsh6IYb0TYoSv5If_ic-E4nsKSTB6Zoep7G2vD7rUCGkzs8aMu8jzaK7mGr3A-d4/s400/DSC05893.JPG" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 400px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 300px;" /></a><br />
<div></div><div align="center">The best group shot of the night<br />
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</div><div align="center"></div><div><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0w_kcjDBy6YHyU6wnaAQS_4ot20FV1dZUcE0X2NZIGm3nHMBKZY2GYiI95URLo4BNO2Z-NuqAi305oLC_zPr3zOa-ayYiL1zAzf1TTeBvWTI9lmH1GnHDCv1ozOz_sESCGRoBVbVoUc/s1600/DSC05881-2.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5633763357293053762" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgd0w_kcjDBy6YHyU6wnaAQS_4ot20FV1dZUcE0X2NZIGm3nHMBKZY2GYiI95URLo4BNO2Z-NuqAi305oLC_zPr3zOa-ayYiL1zAzf1TTeBvWTI9lmH1GnHDCv1ozOz_sESCGRoBVbVoUc/s400/DSC05881-2.jpg" style="cursor: pointer; display: block; height: 300px; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; width: 400px;" /></a></div><div align="left">Thanks for visiting guys, and come back any time!</div><div></div></div></div></div></div></div></div>Hillhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05558089372959038119noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-90206291766853776632011-07-04T17:53:00.000-04:002011-07-04T17:53:42.574-04:00To the beach!<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvQzqumldAc/TL34npCrelI/AAAAAAAAJYQ/es_35S30-0Q/s1600/IMG_9108.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-uvQzqumldAc/TL34npCrelI/AAAAAAAAJYQ/es_35S30-0Q/s320/IMG_9108.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
Portugal has more than 1,114 miles of coastline. Needless to say, but I'll write it regardless - Portugal has a fair number of beaches. Luckily, some of those beaches are within a 20 minute drive of our apartment. We visited amazing beaches in Southeast Asia, but we have never lived in a city with a strong beach culture. When the weather is warm, Lisbon goes to the beach. <br />
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One of our most favorite beaches is not the most accessible. It's about 45 minutes from Lisbon near the westernmost point of continental Europe and down a steep trail that drops more than 500 feet from the "parking lot." But it's beautiful.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GAiQ0sRPW_w/TS_9LLwA0pI/AAAAAAAAZhU/Uh-DknHTDm8/s1600/IMG_9262.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-GAiQ0sRPW_w/TS_9LLwA0pI/AAAAAAAAZhU/Uh-DknHTDm8/s320/IMG_9262.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">Hiking back up</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxsph9S4mnqAwHkGtclNFB8erb-HmjCIA_6fY5CMin3hW5QycEGY_unr7kwP597n6QOBB1znV-CNQG9WKzYm6rxukF8pV05wXK_TQz4xxbU4BlFNhf55slOYLfZurv7O5cUFmpZ01ygjz/s1600/IMG_9280.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhVxsph9S4mnqAwHkGtclNFB8erb-HmjCIA_6fY5CMin3hW5QycEGY_unr7kwP597n6QOBB1znV-CNQG9WKzYm6rxukF8pV05wXK_TQz4xxbU4BlFNhf55slOYLfZurv7O5cUFmpZ01ygjz/s320/IMG_9280.JPG" width="240" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Fortunately, there are beaches that are a lot easier to get to all around Lisbon. We often go to the beaches just up the coast from Lisbon, which are always crowded on the weekend and make for great people watching. We also like the beaches on the other side of the Tagus river, which seem to have never-ending stretches of sand. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OSyiCSJBUwc/ThIykq8OzuI/AAAAAAAAbIY/knV9Aauv0jQ/s1600/IMG_8268.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-OSyiCSJBUwc/ThIykq8OzuI/AAAAAAAAbIY/knV9Aauv0jQ/s320/IMG_8268.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">The beaches that Portugal is most known for are in Portugal's southernmost region, the Algarve. We've made several trips there already and will be going back at least once more with Hillary's family in a couple weeks. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8LoYxTl2ELQxvrv_mimwaZ1ZhFQux3L-K0Eht-y3c47m5rfa1F-ZUQEr8oG54LK5aXxCAOQGGFGUCHQv-EA2oXS8JT0hZIJVW6B_YSV9mpk4P3afYgl5DyEZ6oCSUqPg1BIcOw-nuogm/s1600/IMG_9172.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE8LoYxTl2ELQxvrv_mimwaZ1ZhFQux3L-K0Eht-y3c47m5rfa1F-ZUQEr8oG54LK5aXxCAOQGGFGUCHQv-EA2oXS8JT0hZIJVW6B_YSV9mpk4P3afYgl5DyEZ6oCSUqPg1BIcOw-nuogm/s320/IMG_9172.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GfgEaApNs3k/TSjgpvH4NII/AAAAAAAALR8/7b52-KQx0dA/s1600/IMG_8644.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GfgEaApNs3k/TSjgpvH4NII/AAAAAAAALR8/7b52-KQx0dA/s320/IMG_8644.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div>But one of the best things about the beach is having a cold beer in one of the many restaurants to take a break from the sun.<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRaajNorgv1xxBf-MtvvMOXCwaRMrqZcFJfE4InbQ3iRbIldmQgw5XtPfU35RBsWMtI1i7Y4azhID5-Wh2EvJ58-hRtDTqkU0gvMjJOUqc4svC45dBomzCnSJV2RxCuGnSLhrIVfrSPhh/s1600/IMG_9104.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBRaajNorgv1xxBf-MtvvMOXCwaRMrqZcFJfE4InbQ3iRbIldmQgw5XtPfU35RBsWMtI1i7Y4azhID5-Wh2EvJ58-hRtDTqkU0gvMjJOUqc4svC45dBomzCnSJV2RxCuGnSLhrIVfrSPhh/s320/IMG_9104.JPG" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Beaches have become such a part of our life here that it's hard to imagine not having them nearby. We'll be looking for our next post in the coming months, and I certainly hope there are some options with good beaches.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-237447318699599183.post-66135569011397464692011-06-08T17:40:00.000-04:002011-06-08T17:40:13.761-04:00Mom and Dad - What are you doing in Portugal?My mom and dad recenly visited us in Portugal and found it easier to manage than Indonesia. They spent a few days in Lisbon adjusting to the time change and seeing some of the sights here before we took them on the road. <br />
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<div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We started our journey north in a tiny village half an hour south of Coimbra called Cotas. We spent two nights at <a href="http://www.villapedra.com/">Villa Pedra</a>, a beatiful place set on a hillside. The owner is the architect of the few houses to rent, and he also sourced every furnishing and decoration in them. It was a truly unique place. </div><br />
<div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZV0EsJCC9g/Te_AouoaSKI/AAAAAAAAav8/EE8-A8NlYiQ/s1600/DSC_0031.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZZV0EsJCC9g/Te_AouoaSKI/AAAAAAAAav8/EE8-A8NlYiQ/s320/DSC_0031.JPG" t8="true" width="213" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gsqZfxy1vgI/Te_Lw-CMDgI/AAAAAAAAawk/CQ4PswbqVSk/s1600/DSC_0037.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-gsqZfxy1vgI/Te_Lw-CMDgI/AAAAAAAAawk/CQ4PswbqVSk/s320/DSC_0037.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">We spent an afternoon wandering the medieval streets of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Coimbra">Coimbra</a>, home to one of Europe's oldest universities founded in 1290. We also took a tour of the nearby ruins of <a href="http://www.martinnorthey.net/component/content/article/18-articles/178-conimbriga">Conimbriga</a>, which date as far back as the 9th century BC. The city was one of the largest Roman cities in Portugal from 139 BC until its fall to the invading Germanic Suebi in 468 or 469. It is a very interesting archaelogical site because you are allowed to wander amongst the ruins. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4pWOd_8Qebi5rAz7TjkNGfQXz4I-Bk2uNDfJBahbym8b8o_ArMvUm2TXByx8Z4Jo9W8cB2tQSdMr9W1eadkXnke9hfBTvZHKo-qL8dK3DPVakcItqLgNYCSMdFRkZ1cLFQyGaAbv9wA/s1600/DSC_0107.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhi4pWOd_8Qebi5rAz7TjkNGfQXz4I-Bk2uNDfJBahbym8b8o_ArMvUm2TXByx8Z4Jo9W8cB2tQSdMr9W1eadkXnke9hfBTvZHKo-qL8dK3DPVakcItqLgNYCSMdFRkZ1cLFQyGaAbv9wA/s320/DSC_0107.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;">The ruins are made even more interesting and unique because the city was dissected by a giant wall thrown up in haste in the 3rd century, which left many of the city's largest homes unprotected from invaders. </div><div style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kaPuAO-Nods/Te_Db0h2bjI/AAAAAAAAawE/z-Bbj3D9Yq4/s1600/DSC_0102.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-kaPuAO-Nods/Te_Db0h2bjI/AAAAAAAAawE/z-Bbj3D9Yq4/s320/DSC_0102.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">From Conimbriga, we drove north and saw some great views along the way. </div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JB4c5RjvNlI/Te_FFb-by7I/AAAAAAAAawM/FwrUxXsw9zM/s1600/DSC_0114.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JB4c5RjvNlI/Te_FFb-by7I/AAAAAAAAawM/FwrUxXsw9zM/s320/DSC_0114.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: left;">After arriving in the heart of Portugal's most famous wine country, the Douro River Valley, we spent two nights at Quinta do Vallado, an old wine estate that was recently converted into a small hotel. It was set on one of the Douro's steep hillsides amongst Quinta do Vallado's vineyard. We had read about the place in a New York Times article recommending travel to northern Portugal. We certainly would echo their recommendation. It's a beautiful part of the country with great food and fantastic wine. </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFNvtnMgLsmFqtXmjkE3nHvDFzdGrJpwtdrPkai220l_RkA5JBcXQTuqQgL5kLSRJNvw5f_OIimQiY_RbOHtOdE3uDjVlnLZL6qlng8qR9KhQLExbw8m2joKebFVT4WhihVzwq7YrCNU/s1600/DSC_0129.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgMFNvtnMgLsmFqtXmjkE3nHvDFzdGrJpwtdrPkai220l_RkA5JBcXQTuqQgL5kLSRJNvw5f_OIimQiY_RbOHtOdE3uDjVlnLZL6qlng8qR9KhQLExbw8m2joKebFVT4WhihVzwq7YrCNU/s320/DSC_0129.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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</div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJpjJtx_kjZkiJwV4krvHgg2JWI4HVEq3NfzDdBnuNoLIhYlmXrnYsoEAT0OrTImPjqxRpVfAQFK4eZqs9YlblbGkpl_-tNzSaDXFM2P8am1Wr1dBz24zjWMFf-XSHMMGRNeHhBdko0c/s1600/DSC_0157.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirJpjJtx_kjZkiJwV4krvHgg2JWI4HVEq3NfzDdBnuNoLIhYlmXrnYsoEAT0OrTImPjqxRpVfAQFK4eZqs9YlblbGkpl_-tNzSaDXFM2P8am1Wr1dBz24zjWMFf-XSHMMGRNeHhBdko0c/s320/DSC_0157.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="border-bottom: medium none; border-left: medium none; border-right: medium none; border-top: medium none; clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pEQUXRQURRI/Te_HWl-6WMI/AAAAAAAAawg/dfQ6wJ0b8bo/s1600/DSC_0166.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="213" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-pEQUXRQURRI/Te_HWl-6WMI/AAAAAAAAawg/dfQ6wJ0b8bo/s320/DSC_0166.JPG" t8="true" width="320" /></a></div>Johnhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/16078783157714214976noreply@blogger.com0