I really enjoy traveling by train. I can snooze whenever I want. I can gaze at an endless display of scenery. I can visit a restroom without delaying the trip. I don’t have to pack my liquids into tiny containers and put them in a plastic bag. I can stand up and walk a bit…like to the café car.
One element of train travel though can be a hassle – getting the ticket.
Continue reading Buying on RenfeYears ago when I heard that there was more than one Guggenheim Museum, I immediately looked for a picture of the one in Bilbao, Spain. When I saw it, I knew I had to go there. In October 2015, Mom and I squeezed in a day visit to Bilbao on our way from Barcelona to Seville. Four years later, I have just recently commuted from Valencia to Bilbao and back, for another one day visit. I wondered if the museum’s initial spell would still hold. And it did! It was a true testament to good design having a lasting impact. Here are some experiences from that wonderful day:
Continue reading The Enchantment of BilbaoIt was a brisk morning in Valencia, when perhaps I would usually walk a little quicker to get to my destination, and not notice too much around me. But on this particular morning, I looked. I also had a guide who helped me actively find amazing things to look at, and helped me better understand and appreciate them. It wasn’t architecture, or flowers, or shop windows. It was spray painted walls, fences, facades, and even electrical boxes. And the artistry was amazing! Here is some of what I learned and enjoyed:
Continue reading A Ninja Around Every CornerThird month with Remote Year, so third country – Spain. My language skills are a mess. In Portugal we were vigilant NOT to say por favor, and now we have to break that habit! I just keep rattling off gracias, si, and ola. And I offer a lazy (though apparently acceptable) buenos…. greeting that trails off for an implied morning, afternoon, evening, night as applicable. This happens a lot given I am living right in the heart of the city, in walking distance of the cathedral, train station, markets, beach, and other discoveries in between!
Continue reading Welcome to Valencia!I smile when I imagine calling home to talk with him and share stories of all of my adventures. His first question was usually, “And where are you today?” It would have been quite the range of answers this year! He was a fantastic storyteller himself, which made him a good listener too – at least to my energetic ramblings! And we would usually end our calls with, “Thanks for the chat Dad. Love you too.”
He passed away one year ago. Here is the tribute I wrote for him then:
Continue reading Thanks Dad. Love you too.Time for the second half of this recap – the emotional ups and downs of a month in Portugal.
I had some wonderful experiences, including the boat ride in the Algarve, the exploration of the Gulbenkian Museum, and listening to the mesmerizing Fado music, which are found in previous posts. Here are a few more to the list of highs:
Continue reading Four Highs and Two Lows – Portugal (Part 2)This theme as a summary for Croatia received some positive feedback, so I’m trying it again to recap Portugal. In Part 1, I am taking a moment to reflect on physical ups and downs, and in Part 2, I will share some emotional ups and downs.
So on to the categories! For the best Lookout/Urban, Lookout/Natural, Bell Tower, Palace, Cave/Manmade, and Cave/Natural, here are my picks for Portugal:
Continue reading Four Highs and Two Lows – Portugal (Part 1)As I continued to travel, something began to bother me. It just didn’t feel right. I felt weighed down and burdened. I slowly realized that it was happening at a variety of levels – in my head, in my heart, and in my gut. I didn’t fully appreciate them all, until I took action. The issue may seem trivial to some, and it did even to me for a while. And it may seem a common story of transformational moments, in which case I’m simply supporting that theory.
I got a haircut. A really short haircut. In an act later described as ‘brave’ and ‘audacious’, as well as ‘immensely practical’ and ‘envied.’
With genuine compliments, many people have tagged on, “How long were you thinking about this? And why did you do it?” So I’ve been considering the true motivations. Here is what I have come up with.
Continue reading Feeling LighterEvery “Best of Lisbon” list seems to include some spots in the southwestern part of Lisbon, called Belém. So before the end of my month in Portugal, I hopped on the 728 bus and headed over to check it out. Here are some quick notes of four impressive things I found that afternoon.
Continue reading Beautiful BelémI hope you know this feeling that I will attempt to describe.
It’s when I am somehow automatically and notably comfortable, and I am drawn in further as a smile keeps spreading across my face. I feel a resonance that everything is aligned and vibrant.
I think this feeling is a rare and amazing gift from artists. Sometimes it is evoked through a piece of music, a sculpture, a painting. I feel lucky that it occasionally comes to me through architecture and landscape design. I had no idea that it would almost knock me over when I visited a place here in Lisbon.
That place was the Gulbenkian Museum.
Continue reading Never Heard of Him, But He Has a Fantastic Museum!
