Greetings All!
I am officially back from my three-week vacation to Portugal, Spain and Morocco! Before I jump into my first week back as a full-time student, here's a summary, in pictures and timelines, of what I did while overseas. I will divide my trip into three parts (week 1-3) so as not to overload you all with information.
December 17, 2011
Nick arrives early in the morning from his red-eye flight to Boston. He sleeps while I rush around like a mad woman finishing errands. We board our plane to Lisbon, Portugal at 5:50 pm.
December 18, 2011
Hotel: Evedencia Tejo Creative
After hours of traveling we make it to Lisbon and, of course, the first, highly exciting thing we do is sleep and sleep and sleep.
We do manage to wake up long enough for an afternoon stroll by the water, taking in the lovely architecture of the Praca do Commerico, peruse the pre-Christmas shop displays and consume a delicious dinner of fish, pork and sweet wine (I like this county already).
December 19, 2011
Today I convince my boyfriend to participate in a lovely act of tourism: The Yellow Bus tour of Lisbon. Yes, I know it's cheesy and that I should be ashamed, but I'm not. It's super relaxing and takes us to all of the sites one 'should' see including the Monument to the Discoveries, Parque Eduardo VII and the Tower of Belem all for 15 Euros. We even visit the Forte do Bom Sucesso where I see a model Super Hornet on display! Super dork alert (pushes glasses up nose). Nick and I, of course, stop often for cappuccinos and pastries.
That evening we decide to take one of Lisbon's ancient wooden trolley cars up the hill to the Castelo de Sao Jorge. We make it in time to see the admission gates closed on us. But no worries, this is nothing some sweet wine and pastries can't fix!
December 20, 2011
Hotel: Pao de Acucar
Today is a boring day of travel. We walk through the meandering streets of Lisbon to our bus stop before boarding the 3.5-hour bus to Porto. I just sit back, enjoy my Brazilian Guarana soda (a childhood fave that is hard to find in the states) and take in the scenery.
We arrive in Porto early enough to sneak in afternoon tea at the historic Cafe Majestic (it was amazing) and some wandering around the UNESCO world heritage site of the old city. We stop by the water and snap pictures along the way. By the time we're done with that, I've worked up an appetite so we head to dinner at Cafe Guarany for Porto's famed Franchesina sandwich: a heart-attack inducing concoction of five types of meat and white bread, covered in about a pound of melted cheese and drenched in gravy (for good measure).
December 21, 2011
For our first full day in Porto we visit the markets, peruse the bustling streets of holiday shoppers, revisit the old town, Porto Cathedral and then stroll across Ponte D. Luis I Bridge over the Douro River. There we catch the Teleferico de Gaia (a gondola) that takes us down the hill over Gaia and the port wine cellars.
We, of course, visit a couple of Port wine cellars. I am happy to say that my first ever wine tasting takes place at the Sandeman Port Wine Cellars where Nick and I indulge in a private tasting of Port wines and come away with a couple bottles for our journey home.
December 22, 2011
Hotel: Costa Vella
Today it's off to Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain to meet up with Nick's parents for Christmas. We board yet another bus (this time on InterCentro) for our journey.
When we arrive we have fun catching up with his parents who have been driving through Spain for about a week. We end the night strolling the small town of Santiago de Compostela (another UNESCO World Heritage site) and grab a late dinner of monkfish, duck and wine.
December 23, 2011
For our second day in Santiago we decide to take in the city's most famous site: The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. This impressive church is the end point of the famed El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage that can takes months to walk.
That night's dinner is a Spanish staple: Paella! Yum!
*The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Northeastern University, its faculty, employees or affiliates.
I am officially back from my three-week vacation to Portugal, Spain and Morocco! Before I jump into my first week back as a full-time student, here's a summary, in pictures and timelines, of what I did while overseas. I will divide my trip into three parts (week 1-3) so as not to overload you all with information.
December 17, 2011
Nick arrives early in the morning from his red-eye flight to Boston. He sleeps while I rush around like a mad woman finishing errands. We board our plane to Lisbon, Portugal at 5:50 pm.
December 18, 2011
Hotel: Evedencia Tejo Creative
After hours of traveling we make it to Lisbon and, of course, the first, highly exciting thing we do is sleep and sleep and sleep.
We do manage to wake up long enough for an afternoon stroll by the water, taking in the lovely architecture of the Praca do Commerico, peruse the pre-Christmas shop displays and consume a delicious dinner of fish, pork and sweet wine (I like this county already).
December 19, 2011
Today I convince my boyfriend to participate in a lovely act of tourism: The Yellow Bus tour of Lisbon. Yes, I know it's cheesy and that I should be ashamed, but I'm not. It's super relaxing and takes us to all of the sites one 'should' see including the Monument to the Discoveries, Parque Eduardo VII and the Tower of Belem all for 15 Euros. We even visit the Forte do Bom Sucesso where I see a model Super Hornet on display! Super dork alert (pushes glasses up nose). Nick and I, of course, stop often for cappuccinos and pastries.
That evening we decide to take one of Lisbon's ancient wooden trolley cars up the hill to the Castelo de Sao Jorge. We make it in time to see the admission gates closed on us. But no worries, this is nothing some sweet wine and pastries can't fix!
December 20, 2011
Hotel: Pao de Acucar
Today is a boring day of travel. We walk through the meandering streets of Lisbon to our bus stop before boarding the 3.5-hour bus to Porto. I just sit back, enjoy my Brazilian Guarana soda (a childhood fave that is hard to find in the states) and take in the scenery.
We arrive in Porto early enough to sneak in afternoon tea at the historic Cafe Majestic (it was amazing) and some wandering around the UNESCO world heritage site of the old city. We stop by the water and snap pictures along the way. By the time we're done with that, I've worked up an appetite so we head to dinner at Cafe Guarany for Porto's famed Franchesina sandwich: a heart-attack inducing concoction of five types of meat and white bread, covered in about a pound of melted cheese and drenched in gravy (for good measure).
December 21, 2011
For our first full day in Porto we visit the markets, peruse the bustling streets of holiday shoppers, revisit the old town, Porto Cathedral and then stroll across Ponte D. Luis I Bridge over the Douro River. There we catch the Teleferico de Gaia (a gondola) that takes us down the hill over Gaia and the port wine cellars.
We, of course, visit a couple of Port wine cellars. I am happy to say that my first ever wine tasting takes place at the Sandeman Port Wine Cellars where Nick and I indulge in a private tasting of Port wines and come away with a couple bottles for our journey home.
December 22, 2011
Hotel: Costa Vella
Today it's off to Santiago de Compostela in Northern Spain to meet up with Nick's parents for Christmas. We board yet another bus (this time on InterCentro) for our journey.
When we arrive we have fun catching up with his parents who have been driving through Spain for about a week. We end the night strolling the small town of Santiago de Compostela (another UNESCO World Heritage site) and grab a late dinner of monkfish, duck and wine.
December 23, 2011
For our second day in Santiago we decide to take in the city's most famous site: The Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela. This impressive church is the end point of the famed El Camino de Santiago pilgrimage that can takes months to walk.
That night's dinner is a Spanish staple: Paella! Yum!
*The views expressed in this blog are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Northeastern University, its faculty, employees or affiliates.
Very exciting!
ReplyDeleteCongratulations!
Please, Do you know one form to fly cheap from santiago de compostela to lisbon?
Im mexican student girl and I will go to Santiago 1 week, but i dont know what I do? haha
thankssss
florhhpp@yahoo.com.mx