Portugal, en route to Sagres

Sevilla - the last batch

Art installation at the contemporary art museum in Sevilla, created as a commentary on the looting of ancient columns and architectural pieces from throughout the city, before various sites were protected.

Provoking question at the contemporary art museum

Typical entryway in Spain

Ancient columns in the Barrio Santa Cruz

Soaking up the sun in a plaza

Hotel still life

Coastline

  

Here are some more images from our first jaunt into Portugal, taken just down the coast from Vila Real de Santo Antonio. I think the town was called Monte Gordo, but I'm not 100% on that.  It was really interesting to see the forest pretty much right up against the sea.

I think I miss the ocean so much when I'm not near it that my mind completely shoos it away to prevent me from being too sad. I don't think about too much while I'm out in the streets of a city, but as soon as I see the sea, I'm overwhelmed to the point of tears and I just want cry, laugh, splash and surf.  This happened to me when I took these photos, which was the first time I saw the ocean since we left San Diego, and has happened to me every time I've seen the coast since! Most recently in Manarola, Italy.  Damn I love the water.  We'll be on the coast of Morocco for about 18 days within a week or so and I can't wait.

On another note, do these pictures look really blue to you? I am posting from a less-than-desirable laptop and I don't trust the color as far as I can throw it. It'll be good to get back to my calibrated Mac eventually :)

Let's go to Portugal

Here are some images from our first trip in Portugal, when we rented a car and drove from Sevilla to explore for a few days. These were taken in the first Portuguese town we stopped in right over the Spanish border, Vila Real de San Antonio.

Streetview

We are nearly reaching the end of the Sevilla pictures! I enjoy them but I'm really excited to take you to Portugal...

a couple of more pictures from the soccer match, sevilla vs cadiz

Mas retratos, Sevilla

The two guys with the canes are German carpenters in the midst of their Journeymen years. You can read more about it here, but the gist of it is that these guys are literally walking around the world for 3 years, with nothing more than what you see in the picture. Pretty cool, huh?

Italia

My many posts from Spain may lead you to believe I've gone back there or something, but we're currently living it up in Florence, Italy. Since Spain, we have been to Portugal, Belgium, the Netherlands, Germany and the Czech Republic! I'm just really slow on posting. Plus, I don't like to post a ton of images in one post...you do have other blogs to read, I know.  Anyway, I thought it would be good to take a break from Spain and show you a slice of our life at the moment.

We have an apartment in Florence and will be here for a total of 3 weeks when all is said and done. Then Rome until the end of January, and then we're off to Morocco!

Agua de Sevilla

Rowing and tennis along the Guadalquivir River

Plaza de Espana

 

Parque Maria Luisa 

There is actually a cocktail called Agua de Sevilla, but these have nothing to do with that. Just some random water shots around the city.  I think I've said this before but if you go to Sevilla, definitely carve out some time for the beautiful water fronts and parks in the city. Especially Parque Maria Luisa - it makes you feel like you've escaped the city and headed back in time.