Footprints in the sand

Still in Faro, I extended our stay here to enjoy another couple days of beach and small town peacefulness. The hostel is inexpensive and meets our needs.

Molly has worked her magic and met another couple of travelers. They are Eric and Marie from Ottawa, Canada. They both have broad experiences living and traveling abroad, so they are very interesting. Their native language is French, but their English is excellent. They have been traveling only in Portugal this far. Unfortunately, while in a rented car, a vandal broke in to the trunk and stole Marie’s purse and backpack~this included her passport, credit cards, prescription glasses and more. They have spent almost 2 days regrouping, phone calling and interviewing for a replacement passport. That is one of the drawbacks of renting a car that I have heard……you are a sure target when you leave it.

I spent a quiet day on a ferry out to a wildlife preserve, read, bird watched, collected beautiful shells, while Molly took the laptop to Diogo’s restaurant and spent her hours plugged-in and shopping. We joined up late afternoon for Sangria with Diogo, Eric and Marie. It was a fun afternoon, sharing stories and learning more about each other. As we sat by the marina, the new university students starting school were baptized in the dirty, fishy, harbor. Interesting tradition…………

That evening, Molly and I joined Eric and Marie for sushi………….me being a good sport, because I don’t even like the stuff…….we had another mission too. The dryer at the hostel had broken, just in time for Marie to dry her wet clothes. (that pour women has had some bad luck in Portugal) At 9 p.m. we wandered the streets looking for an open laundry mat, a hotel with services or a hostel with a working dryer. Nothing. Nada.No. Had a great dinner and returned to hang her laundry on the roof of the hostel overlooking the town square, next to the stork nests, underwear blowing in the breeze.

Our last day in Faro, we took the train to the town of Lagos. A recommended beach town, with amazing colored rocks and arches, kayaking to caves and snorkeling…..along with the topless sunbathers, it was a new found paradise. Us girls laid out in our black underwear, as Molly had lost her bottoms in Lisbon and I did not wear a suit…….I figure if women can go topless, we can conservatively be seen in our undies…..after all, it seems anything goes on the beaches here. Forgot to take a picture, you will have to believe me.

Finally realized last night that not only does the McDonalds have cheap salads and diet coke on ice, they also have free wifi and serve beer 24 hours a day! Yippee! Diogo could not believe our McDonalds does not serve beer……………that will be the day, huh?

So, we have left our footprints in the sand of Portugal. They will be washed away and we will be forgotten as two of millions of tourists and travelers. But I will not forget the tiled streets, the castles on the hillsides, the red tiled roofs and clean white buildings. I will not forget the beauty of the beaches and the handsome people. Diogo Martins was a good friend to us and we will treasure our memories of his stories and gifts.

Off to Seville, Spain. I am writing this on my laptop on the bus as Molly sleeps. I am plugged in to my ipod. I feel like a real “techie”~my brother would be proud.

Wherever you go, there you are

We left Lisbon early on Sunday morning via fast train to Faro. Faro is in the southern part of Portugal known as The Algarve region. The journey was a learning experience. We learned the following:

1. Do Not, under any circumstances move a little, old, Portugese women’s tiny shopping bag placed in the baggage area to make room for your own large backpack. Do Not assume the overhead racks can be used for shopping bags. Do Not try to reason with a little, old, Portugese woman who does not understand English.

2. Always check your seat number assigned. Do Not think you will not be awakened by a stranger who has the seat numbered assigned that you are comfortable sleeping in. Do Not assume that any other of the numerous vacant seats will work for this person.

3. Plan Ahead. Do Not use the bathrooms on a train if at all possible.

So, anyways, we arrived fine. Tried to take a taxi to the hostel, but we were kindly told it was only one block away……lovely little place, very comfortable, the house is practically all ours with a 24 hour reception. McDonalds is right next door, which is one of the few places you can actually find diet coke on ice and an affordable salad.

Our first day, we walked all over town, found a grocery store, drank sangria and then later, went out to dinner. We met the most charming, young man who worked as a waiter at the restaurant. He spoke great English and Portugese and shared lots of information with us about the area etc……his specialty was food. At the end of the evening, he started bringing us different salads to try………….kettlefish salad, some chewy mussle, cockrel, clam concoction, a seafood mix of shrimp and fake crab and a cod salad…..when we think of salad, we think lettuce and tomatoes…..not so here. He brought us more vino verde (green wine) and we had a shot of some strong, port like, liquor made from grapes. We were all having fun and laughing and sharing…….I tried to pay for everything, but he wouldn’t allow it. His name is Diogo Martins.

Yesterday, Molly and I rented bikes for the day……we headed out on a trail to a neighboring village, thru industrial areas, the salt flats and rural neighborhoods. We wound up and down streets , across a freeway by the airport and down across a bridge to the Isle de Faro. A Beach! We rode up and down the island, bought mats and napped in the hot sun. Molly swam in the Atlantic again and I walked and collected shells. Beautiful, long stretch of clean, sandy, ocean front.

We road bikes back towards Faro, stopping once at an auto repair business to try to adjust my seat, which continued to collapse. The locals were very helpful trying to fix it, but to no avail. The rest of the way back Molly and I took turns riding the bike with the broken, tilted seat…..standing up was the only way to go. That was an adventure! Still fun and the bike shop only charged us half day for our inconveniences.

They need more trails and directions for biking here. I think it is a perfect area to spend days biking from beach to beach. They only lack the system. Good opportunity for someone…………………….

Last night we went back to see our friend Diogo. We took him some smoked salmon from the great PNW and some soap from the farmers market in Bellingham. He again showered us with local treats, this time fish egg salad and octopus salad. I was just not in the mood………………….I spread it around my plate and pretended to eat some. Yuck. How is it, our tastebuds are so different? How come Diogo does not like peanut butter and jelly? I thought everybody did…………………..when he brought out dessert, I somehow managed. Marzipan cookies and a box of tasty sugar cookies to take home. Again, he would not let me pay.

We want to tell him about American food. I am having a hard time putting my finger on what that really is…………………steak and French fries? Corn on the cob? Jello? I don’t know really, help me out here.

Lisbon, Portugal......gotta love it. Sept 26

We said good-bye to our friends and Amsterdam. Headed out via train to the airport, flew to Madrid, transferred to Lisbon and arrived timely, with luggage. We were worried about the luggage piece , since it involved a change in airlines. No prob.

The problem was getting ripped off by a Portuguese taxi driver who charged us 15 euro for a 7 euro ride…….I need to bet a backbone when it comes to negotiating pricing. I also need to follow my gut instincts and common sense…..those are things that always work for me, I just am not use to trusting them as much in a foreign environment. Like the guy who sold me a ticket on the “fast train” to the airport without charging me a supplement fee……..I knew something was wrong, but I trusted his assurance………sure enough, when the train guy came to collect our tickets , we had not paid the extra fee. I apologized sincerely and paid for the upgrade and I was told by a neighboring passenger that he could have charged me a 20 euro penalty for each ticket. He didn’t. I guess he redeemed my opinion of train personnel. Somewhat.

We got to our bed and breakfast hotel in the evening and directly headed down the street to a local eatery. We didn’t know what we were ordering, but Molly ended up with a whole fried fish (complete with head and eyeballs….she thought she ordered a salad) and I had a rice soup with prawns and clams. Seafood is plentiful~windows hold live lobster, crab, tubs of octopus, barnacle looking things, and some other stuff I cannot imagine, nor stomach. It reminds me of my going away party, with crab piled on a table and everyone eating with their fingers, as that is the style at some of the restaurants here.

Lisbon is a beautiful city. I thought it was on the sea. Oops. It is on a huge river……close to the Atlantic Ocean, but not on it. Silly me. It is a city of hillsides and old architecture, red tile roofs and winding brick road. We took a bus tour to get familiar with the general layout and then spent time walking along the river, the marinas, saw the Discovery Monument, people watching, enjoying the warm sunshine (80 degrees at least)…….looked for someone to take us sailing, but found no takers……..

We hiked up the windy, narrow roadways towards the Castelo De Sao Jorge on the highest hill in Lisbon. What an amazing view! Molly and I stopped at a hillside bar for a mojito and relaxed overlooking the whole city and the river. The feeling was hard to describe, a realization that we were here! In such a picturesque, perfect, faraway, place. I was thankful to not be disappointed.
This morning I roused Molly to go do laundry…..nobody in Lisbon seemed to know where a laundry facility existed…..we took two subways, asked 5 people and walked up and down the tile hillsides……we were so excited when we found one, we filled three washing machines, happily put in out pre-purchased laundry soap and felt good…….the lady was so sweet to offer to transfer our laundry from wash to dry…..fold it even, pay when we return……cool! So we went to breakfast, did some window shopping and returned to a 30 euro laundry bill. Sometimes wearing clean underwear is priceless.

After the calming effect of clean clothes, Molly and I headed back out to take a quick train to Cascais, a summer seaside resort that really is on the ocean! Once again, amazed at the richness of our surroundings, touristy as it was, it was still amazing……..we wandered a few small alleys until we found the beach. Sat all day in the sunshine, watching sun bathers, swimmers, boaters, fisherman and a stunt pilot overhead. Similar to Mexico, vendors come up to you on the beach selling designer knock-off watches, purses and jewelry. These vendors are mostly from Africa, unlike the beaches in Mexico and the streets of Beijing……I think maybe Portugal is liberal in allowing the immigration of peoples from troubled countries…….I know England is…….not so much the U.S.

Last day in Amsterdam.........Sept 23

Last day in Amsterdam………nothing planned, nothing scheduled. Last day. We c.ould do laundry. No. Could take the train to Delft. No. Could rent bikes. No.
Nothing…..lets just walk…………..and walk………………and walk……………………take a break and spend an hour on a canal boat………….sleepy……………..eat at French restaurant…………………..find outdoor market……………………sleepy……………….went to the train station…………..crazy…….went to library……

The public library in Amsterdam is the best. I have spent hours there on free internet, in a high tech, prosperous, state of the art facility. Five stories high. Adjoined by a wine bar. Close to our boat hostel at Pier 3. Yesterday, I had to print out a flight itinerary. I learned from a Dutch women employee how to buy a library voucher (all automated) print my file, input my voucher number, print my document by scanning the voucher and getting change back via the voucher change scan…………….man, I don’t go to many libraries. Is this normal?

Today at the library, the venture was getting Wi-Fi. I wanted to download some pictures to the blog and I had them on my laptop. This took me 2 hours. Down to floor 0 for request to get Wi-Fi access. Up to floor 2 to register for Wi-Fi access. Down to floor 0 to activate registration. Up to floor 2 to get on-line. Down to floor 0 to get directions on how to get on-line. Up to floor 2 for directions on how to get on-line.……finally connected. This, of course, was all in Dutch/English. Me knowing no Dutch. Ahhhhhh….this is the experience of traveling, YA? (that is Dutch)
So, yes the library is very high tech……just not all its visitors. But, as you will notice the blog finally has some new pictures and I was listening to a live band performing on floor 5 of the library while I uploaded them. Does our library allow live bands? I doubt it. Amsterdam is high-tech AND liberal.

I have loved this liberal city where women hold hands, men pee in front of everybody, bicyclists are of all ages and varieties, condoms hang on display in windows and the smell of cannibus floats thru the air. (I keep seeing the “Canalboat” sign and think it says “Cannibus”-Dutch). I haven’t come to terms with the legal prostitution . However, if the result is men that are content, women that are financially independent and there is a statistical reduction in rape, maybe it is not all bad.

Who am I to judge?

I AMsterdam

That is the motto here......on t-shirts, bumperstickers, hats, etc.......

We got to The Netherlands (formerly Holland) via train and an overnight trip across the English Channel by huge ferry. Had a cabin in the ferry that was such a treat after 5 nights in the hostel in London.................Molly and I both took leisurely showers in our own private bathroom! Tiny and small, it felt like heaven. The journey went fast and in the early morning we arrived and took a train into Amsterdam.

I had always heard what a beautiful city this was, and now I know. Full of canals, old buildings, sunshine and bicycles. When we arrived, it was the busiest day of the year for the City~with a half marathon going on called the "Dam to Damloop" where streets were closed and thousands of runners jammed the City. Due to the liberal attitudes of "Ämsterdamians", the porta potties lining the streets included urinals for the men who just whipped it out, peed and ran on........I wanted to take a picture, but I didn't.

I was fortunate to find a lovely, boat hostel at a pier near the central train station. It is a converted canal barge with maybe 15 rooms and common showers/toilets. Breakfast included:) Great location, charming owners, relatively quiet and the soothing rock of the boat at night, making sleeping a delight. Brandon and Hunter came in from Brussels and found us (Molly) to hang with......

The four of us headed to the Red Light District, famous for 24 hours of legalized prostitution, coffee houses (no alcohol served, only marijuana and hash and coffee) and pubs and restaurants. If inclined, you can choose a prostitute by window shopping......I like window shopping, but this kind seemed degrading and yucky.....the red lit windows were women, the red and blue lit windows were women who used to be men...............many were wheel chair accessible..........hmmmmmmmmm. The boys weren't interested. Too expensive. I guess they tried having men in the windows for a very short time, but the experiment did not work. Not as many takers and besides, men just can't keep up the pace like women! That is what we were told.

Okay, the coffee houses. Thank goodness we found a couple stoners from California to go with us to the coffee houses. They know there stuff:) They bought "good shit", rolled their own joints and tried to teach Molly and I how to smoke. I don't think it worked. I prefer my own drug of choice, vino, blanco, Columbia Crest Grand Estates...........miss that. So, the boys were pretty high when we went to dinner and man did they eat!

Amsterdam has more bicycles than people. 80,000 bicycles get stolen every year, although they are recycled by the new owner......locals paint them, decorate them, get old ones, lock them up, anything to avoid being stolen. And everybody rides a bike, rain or shine (not many people own cars, as there is no where to park). Professionals in business suits, kids, pregnant ladies, senior citizens, probably the prostitutes. The bikes have cute little seats for children, big wheelbarrow attachments for carrying things, platforms for dogs and all kinds of interesting add ons. The canals are filled with old bikes. Nobody wears helmets.

We took a 3 hour bike ride and discovered what a sweet mode of transportation it is, but also very daring. Not only are you taking your life in your hands, but you might be putting everybody else at risk! There are so many bikes and walkers and trains that you really have to focus on what you are doing and where you are going. It reminded me of visiting Bejing and Shanghai. The extra precaution here is to not fall into the canals.

Today we went to the Van Gogh museum and did the Heinikken Brewery tour. Did our part to support the local tourist industry~Molly is out at a pub crawl AGAIN. The prices here are rediculously expensive. It is as cheap to buy wine as water. A marginal lunch is 20euro or about $33. Molly paid 1euro for ketchup today, a desperate attempt to maintain habit. My diet cokes are 2.5euro (almost $4) and use a different sweetener or something.......creature of habit, still buy them since they are the same price as water...........

Hey, if anybody wants a postcard, you better send an address because I didn't bring anything!

Ciao~

Viva la Vida

After the disturbing nights sleep (or lack thereof), Molly and I got on the road with our new bestfriends from California, Hunter and Brandon. Yes, I am hanging out with 20 year olds........but I am holding my own!

We took the tube the Heathrow, the bus to Windsor and arrived at 3:30.......late start to the day after the late pub crawl night......had a pasty in Windsor (not the kind strippers use) the cornish pastry found everywhere stuffed with whatever you might like.......then we jetted up to Windsor Castle for a nice tour through the chapel, the staterooms and the halls where the Queen and her family vacation.....no one was there at the time. I was hoping Molly might meet Prince Harry.....oh well.

Walked all over Windsor, a cute little town with cobblestone streets and little shops right on the Thames. Nice day, but chilly. Molly borrowed my coat so, unfortunately, I had to buy a new sweater. I am really trying to refrain from my shopping addiction, but as you can guess, that is extremely hard in the worlds fashion capital......the only thing that holds me back is the memory of my 45 pound suitcase..................argh.

The four of us went to the grocery store and bought stuff for dinner and our own wine, beer etc to have back at the youth hostel. We cooked, drank and visited with all the guests in the downstairs kitchen. I headed to bed at midnight and Molly rolled in at 2:30. It was the best nights sleep we had gotten, although Buenos Aires Snoring girl had left.

Friday was a day of leisure. Molly went running with Brandon in Hyde Park. I took the tube to Kew Gardens as recommended by my mom. Got there fine, but wandered aimlessly trying to find the gardens because I hadn't read the tourist map at the tube station (I am getting "cocky"~a British term?) I started asking people where the gardens were........with the blank stairs I received, I thought maybe there really was no garden at all. I wondered if the city was called Kew Gardens and I had misunderstood what mam (mom) said..........after an hour of walking around the town, very pleasant, I finally found the formal gardens right behind the tube station. Celebrating their 250th year, it is the home of the Kew Palace, the Queens gardens and is vast and lovely.

We rejoined at The Blackbird Tavern for lunch and said good byes to the boys.....they were off to Brussels and we are off to COLDPLAY in Wembley.

Molly and I arrived at the Wembley Stadium at 4:00. The bands started at 5:30. We listened to White Lies, Girls Aloud, Jay-Z and then the headliners. Coldplay was amazing, loud, wild displays of fireworks, balloons, confetti, video and on and on. It was the biggest concert I have ever been to. 70,000 fans. London being their hometown, the crowd was happy and supportive. They did all there songs....VIVA LA VIDA. I was so excited to be there enjoying the experience of such an amazing artist.

We are packed and ready to head to Amsterdam tonight. We are taking a train/overnight ferry combination and arrive tomorrow. If I don't post anything for awhile it is because I have been visiting the coffeehouses. If I do post something, it might be a bunch of abstract ramblings:)

SNORING PEOPLE SHOULD GET THEIR OWN PRIVATE ROOMS

So, night number 3 was an insightful, sleepless night where I analyzed all my friendships, family relationships, professional goals, made a Christmas list, thought about remodelling the house, worried about Molly coming back and developed very strong feelings as a result of the girl from Buenos Aires SNORING in the bed next to me.......she was really very sweet, until then...........I had the following thoughts at 2:30 am:

• Snoring is boring
• Would they notice if I strangled her with a scarf?
• All snorers should be put in a separate youth hostel
• Snorers should be put in their own state...probably Nebraska
• I never really liked Buenos Aires anyways
• If they can invent little white sleeping pills, why can't they invent non-snoring pills?
• It is a chore to listen to snore
• Why do the ear plugs say "snore proof"?
• It that where "put a sock in it" came from?
• I bet George Clooney doesn't snore
• Snoring is a thermometer of a relationship.......if it is enduring and sweet, life is good. If your partners snoring is obnoxious and annoying, you are in trouble
• What if I yelled FIRE!
• Maybe sleep apnea is a good thing
• I should have gone to the Pub Crawl
• The words "not snore" can be rearranged into "no no rest"

OMG

London Daze

Ok, I am getting used to the youth hostel. Used to not sleeping that is.....I thought night number one was an oddity, an adjustment to the time change, the coffee, the new place. But night number two was more of the same........Six strangers in a room, coming and going at different times, coughing, snoring (not me), cell phones going off, squeeky floors and noisy streets. The rest of it is great! Hot showers, clean facility, perfect location, friendly people, blah blah blah. I think tonight we will sleep, as I had no nap today and Molly is out at a pub crawl and probably drinking beer instead of coffee......

The last couple days have flown by. We rushed off to try to see Hairspray at the last minute our first night.....due to the undergroung ("tube") having a break down, we arrived too late to get tickets and no amount of whining got those high and mighty, proper, British staff to budge.......oh well, we went to another theatre and saw Chicago. Now that staff was much more generous and even upgraded our tickets to better seats! It always works out in the end................ahhhh. Great musical, sexy dancing, familiar story.POP!

Our first full day it poured..........that is London, I guess. Not just a little rain, but absolutely buckets of water dumping from the dark sky. We hid from the rain in Harrod's for awhile. Looked at the gorgeous food halls, where the groceries are twice the price of Haggen's, but so beautifully displayed you want to pay the price.....Molly was overwhelmed by the prices of designer clothing, $350 pound (like $500US) shoes.....$2,000 pound necklaces......argh. We even heard they had designer kitties and puppies on the top floor, but unfortunately we missed those.

Thinking the rain had lightened to a drizzle, we headed to Hyde Park so Molly could do a run and I would walk around the gardens.....drizzle turned to rain, turned to pouring, turned to buckets. We got soaked for the first time that day and came back to the hostel to dry our clothes in the laundry....got dry clothes and headed back out to promptly get soaked a second time.......we hung our coats at the theatre and took off shoes so they could dry while watching "Thriller".

"Thriller" was being put together prior to MJ's death and came out shortly after. Since we had wanted to see MJ in London, we thought this was a good, but sad, alternative. The show had a young MJ singing with the Jackson Five and an older one doing the dance moves and singing karaoke to Bad and Thriller and Billy Jean. No one can sing and dance like MJ.....nobody in the whole of England could be found. The closest they got was a dancer from Los Angeles.....amazing. There was so much crotch grabbing in the last dances, I had to get up and do it myself..............wasn't alone in my actions. Somehow, I can still embarrass my daughter.

Last theatre act was today at the Apollo Victoria for Wicked. This is a new production and the story of OZ before Dorothy showed up.....absolutely amazing stage design and outstanding performances and singing. But, it was the story I really enjoyed...I didn't know the Wicked Witch of the West started off as a sweet and caring women and that Glenda's real name was Galendala.......hahaha

We met some guys last night in the hostel community room that are from California and Australia. They are Molly's age and only talked to me to get to her, I am sure......whatever. Anyways, they hatched a plan to go to an organized pub crawl tonight and included us (only to get to Molly I am sure) so I graciously declined and let her head out without me.....we did get cell phones over here so we can get in touch with each other and I interviewed the guys thoroughly and toughly......I will wait up for her.........or join them later..................

We have arrived!

Yes, we are in London for day for the beginning of the adventure. Muchas gracias to miss Gylany Rose for driving us to Sea-Tac for a perfect, on time departure. Zach's going away present was tiny little white sleeping pills, left over from his Brazil trip.......wow. I hesitated taking one, but they were sooooooo tiny (glad I didn't take two!) Molly and I fell asleep on the plane before take off. ....and only woke up a smidge here and there. The flight was totally uneventful, or if it wasn't', we totally missed it all.

In our attempt to be frugile, we took the underground (MIND THE GAP) from Heathrow to Earl's Court. Walked a few blocks to our youth hostel and settled in.

Ok, for anyone else besides me who has never stayed in a hostel.......oh my. We had to buy towels for the shower, locks for the storage. Molly and I have a bunk bed in a girls room with 6 others. The shower is across the hall (turns my nose up) and the common area downstairs. This is somewhere between camping and a 2 star hotel.....maybe one star. I have seen other "old" people around, and of this I am greatful. We will see how the night's sleep goes, but at this point, we are probably tired enough to endure a small herd of late night youth hostlers coming and going.

Molly is studying to make a plan for tomorrow......................Cheerio!

One Week to Go.........

Clean house, pack, get 4 months of dogfood, clean out freezer, weed wack yard, mow, prepay bills, last minute meetings, Christmas shop, Birthday shop, teeth cleaned, job secured, college ready, doctor appointments, ipod filled, farewells said, credit cards ready, adapter kit purchased, hair cut off, renters coming, kayak stored, contacts made....

Still have not confirmed shoe choice...........options are (out of approximately 35 pairs of shoes): tennis shoes (will look like geeky tourist), chacos (a must until we hit cold weather), dansko clogs (comfy but bulky....not too good with shorts), hiking shoes (heavy and granola looking, good for long treks in cold weather), high heals (comfortable of course, but will I wear them?), black loafers (everything else is black) or maybe I should just buy them as I go? Help!

Had a great going away party, hosted by dear friend Victoria. She provided a table full of fresh crab, corn and potatoes for 25 of my girlfriends. Enough wine showed up for an army (of "sisters") and we had a loud, fun and crazy evening! You know, I can have fun without wine, but why rub two sticks together to make a fire when you have matches? Anyways.......

Molly's party is this week, same bat time, same bat channel, but no wine (back to rubbing two sticks together).

We are having Christmas at my mom and dad's on September 12. We all agreed to do all our holiday shopping at the Dollar Store. This is probably the only year I will get away with spending $10 on gifts. I am pretty sure everyone will love my choices:) I wonder what I will get? New dishes?

So.....seven days and counting..............Gylany, hope you are still taking us to the airport..............