Tourists.... spain, the center of the universe.

What is this, sangria and frozen paella!!! This is shameful!!! And a bunch of restaurants have it. This city is flooded od spaniards who seem to believe spanish is the only language spoken in the entire peninsula. Its so embarassing, most are so disrespectful and loud!! So many people from the south of Spain!! Next time i come i want to see the portuguese lisbon and avoid the touristy part, but for now tourist area it is. This moring though i was able to hang aroung the alfama area and get lost in small streets with no tourists. Maybe it is because i left extremly early, but i really enjoyed it and tool some photos im looking forwards to see in my pc!!

Im not talking to any tourist has i dont feel the need to but im really getting irritated by a few catalan, spanish and french who talk believing no one understands them. Also, this italian guy wanted to stop a taxi but ended up stoping a police car.what a show, i couldnt stop laughing. Well neither could his family members!! Oh, these kids were singing in the train and the only reaction a spanish came up w was " loookkkk portueguese sevillanas" seriously...??!!!

Porto

The best way to end the day, a shower and porto wine! This hostel is great, very cozy,welcoming and clean. Time to relax after hours and hours of walking in belem, barrio alto and alfama

The commom area

Random lamp

Room 3

Room 2

Room

In portugal!!

The flight was smooth and short. I suppose after such a long flight down under this one just seemed short despite it being 1.5h long and us leaving with a delay . When i arrived i stoped at the tourist information for a map and once that was done i headed to catch the local bus that took me to rossio, the center of the city. With my map i kept following where we were and i quickly realized were to get off. I arrived at the hostel that joao had recommended and wow. It did have a lot of awards at hostel world and great rankings and indeed the thing is just great!! So each room is decorated completly different, mine has a very intresting design with a bird cage as a lamp, and a hanging chain in which ppl hang their cloths. Ill post up pictures tommorrow. Most important is how clean it is and how clean the toilets are. You have your own locker,wifi, you get free breakfast a lamp for your bed, free porto wine a place to leave little things by bed etc.. The atmosphere looks just great and the cleanness outstanding. I met one of the guys in my room who is from brazil but i really couldnt bother talk.... And then it was time ti go explore the city!

I went to barrio alto in the search of cervejeria
trinidade that both joao and the guide recommended but when i got there it was packed and in addittion had 40 ppl waiting. The place was nice with tiles all around it! I will try it tommorrow and if not at least take a few pics. I went through the streets in search of some food and the first place that i saw had bacalau and arroz dolce i walked in. Had it and then went around chaido and rossio to digest all that i had eaten! Took a few pics but really missed the company of my slr friend ms. Irumtje!! I started to feel some ppl were following me so since it was dark and i was tiered i headed back to the hostel!

So far i like what i have seen, some very modern shops, some rather old decadent streets, a lighted castle, a big cristo (reminds me of rio). What i really like is the amount of fish around the restaurants and how it is displayed, reminds me of galicia! The city seems to have small allys and its all on hills, the trams are old but glamorous. So far, i like the stlyle, just wish i could speak portuguese!

.wonderfull weekend ahead!!!

Time for departure.
I love electronic tickets and online checkin. The world is progressing!

I Miss you.

There is a strange feeling everytime i come to this terminal, terminal 2 of barcelona airport. I dont understand why it is called terminal 2 if it is the first one which was build!! The more i travel in terminal 1 the more i like it and start accepting that terminal 2 is part of the past. I have departed so many times from the now called terminal 2, many memories are linked to it, our first trip to argentina, the returns to spain after years abroad, the good byes and the hellos. There is a specific spot my dad would always stand when waiting for me to arrive from schipol... I used to love this terminal with all the shops. The airport seemed crowded but i knew my way around very well. Having so many early flights to go back to holland and paris i had learned which cafe was the one i liked the best for its location,atmosphere and which shops had the free food to taste. Its sad to walk in terminal 2 and see it completly empty with all the bars and shops closed. Only a few remain open for the easy jet and ryanair flights. Hopefully one day Barcelona airport will be given the right to operate long haul international flights and this terminal will have the life that was stolen from it in june 2009.

Aerobus

Something is clearly wrong when you get on this bus, the aerobus, and you recognize the driver. This bus is getting more expensive every day but its the only way to get from the airport home at a normal speed. If compared to other countries the price is at least quite acceptable! I still think that the best thing is to be droped and picked up in any airport but well...

Im already surrounded by portuguese people, 5 guys that are hitting the window every time a woman walks by.... Giving me a great image of portuguese people! I just love the language, the accent sounds great!! Too bad its not a brazilian accent!!

Excited, neighbour country here i come!!

El pájaro tiene su nido, la araña su tela, el hombre la amistad.

William Blake

Favorite Places on Earth 3

Sunshine Beach, Noosa, Australia

...favorite moment running on the beach at dawn. No camera when running.