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Wednesday, July 13, 2005
 I love Lagos...and I've got tan lines!!!  Got a lovely surprise at my overnight stop in Madrid catching up with BusAbouters Caitlin & Daniel again. Caitlin's advise confirmed that I should cancel my days in Seville and head straight to Lagos instead. Thankfully the accommodation allowed for this and the next day it was onwards to an overnight stop in Seville. Was a quiet ride with only 7 people on board and even more so when we saw a news report in Spanish on the London Bombs. Of course we didn't understand a word so there were some frantic text messages to fill ourselves in. Our 1 night in Seville was a lovely "girl's night" with the tour guide for Tapas, drinks on a rooftop bar then onto a Flamenco Show. Then it was Lagos... I love this place. The beach is stunning!!! Much better than anything I've seen anywhere else in Europe and almost comparable to an Australian Beach. Was great to have Erin and Tammy's company for a few days - even if I was a little worse for wear after a night out!!! My 5 days here are all melting into a blur but I can say that I've done a lot of shopping, some swimming and beach sitting (hence the tan lines) and even attempted to learn to surf (I'm really not that good at it!) Tomorrow it's on to Lisbon for a few days then I have to leave Portugal and then the trip speeds up as I make my way back through Spain and France to London for my flight.
Wednesday, July 06, 2005
So Barcelona wasnīt as bad as the initial accommodation dramas made out... By the time I finished at the internet cafe last time it was past midday so headed straight for the markets before they shut for a siesta. The clothes were okay (didnīt buy any) but I did find a heck of a lot of silver jewellery...one bracelet and ring later it was onto the tube and to La Sagrada Familia just to prove to myself that Gaudi was one weird fella. A quick bite of Paella - yum - then onto the big pointy thing. Very interesting building - will be even more impressive if it is ever finished!!! There were a few market stall selling fans, clothes...silver jewellery...yeah - really liking Barcelona at this point. Next stop was Guell Park which was also designed by Gaudi - yep, definitely a weird fella...found my way down to where all the mosaics and weird buildings were and was blown away. Colourful, beautiful...over-run with tourists!!! Decided to walk back to the hostel via La Ramblas and stumbled upon the best shopping street in Barcelona along the way. The next morning I was adamant about watching the Wimbledon Menīs final live so I wandered around the city trying to find somewhere open that was playing it live...3 hours later, I found a pub around the corner from the hostel with a delayed telecast so I managed to watch the first set and a half before I had to run off for the bike tour. It was a hard decision but decided that I really should see some more of Barcelona and trust that Mr Federer knew what he was doing. The bike tour was great - very interesting but also very tiring so it was an early-ish night then on to Valencia in the morning. Once again, accommodation dramas in Valencia...nobody knew where this place was and I couldnīt for the life of me find it on the map I bought!!! Eventually someone (who didnīt speak a lick of English) managed to showing me the way...and the hostel was stunning! A quick shower and some Paella and Tapas, then a long walk with Greg (another Busabout "lost soul") through the massive park which used to be the river) to some weird parallel universe set in the 25th century - still not sure what it was - and a massive shopping centre. Itīs only when youīre on your way back that you realise exactly how far youīve walked and I collapsed into bed that night exhausted. Yesterday it was all about the beach. The markets were way too fishy to be enjoyed - so straight onto the bus and to the beach. A bit rough for swimming but we managed to get a little (too much) sun. Last night we headed to a Salsa club which was fun but only opened at 11:30pm so this little Nanna only lasted a while before having to return to the bed! So today itīs on to Madrid for an overnight stop then to Seville which will apparently be scorching hot...(for a change?) Adios Amigos
Saturday, July 02, 2005
Can I remember whatīs happened over the last 2 weeks???... Okay...back to Italy...  Three day tour of Southern Italy was lovely...and the best part is that it was a tour so we didnīt have to think for ourselves the whole time!!! Stopped off at Pompeii on the way down to Sorrento. The site is massive and interesting but most of the finds have been taken to the museum in Naples and all thatīs left is the remains of the buildings. A group dinner in Sorrento followed by some Karaoke (no not me!) and some dancing in a club that is more like a huge cave. The next day it was over to the Isle of Capri for most of the day where we took a boat cruise around the island then relaxed on the pebble beach for the rest of the day. The third day was mostly on the bus as we wound our way around the cliff-clinging roads of the Amalfi coast. Stunning scenery and lovely stops at the towns of Amalfi and another one which I will have to look up on a map one day to find out the name. One last relaxing day at our Rome campsite before heading off to Florence via Orvietto (one of the walled cities perched on top of a cliff trying not to spill over). There was a museum and transport strike in Florence on our first day so I took that as an opportunity to work on the suntan by the campsite pool. The next day it was up and in early to queue for the Uffizi Gallery and a few other sites around town and across Ponte Vecchio (drooling at all the expensive gold and silver jewellery). The next day it was another 2 hour queue for the Academia Gallery - fully worth it to see the real David. He was amazing...perfect...indescribable! A quick walk through the Duomo and back to the campsite to cool off. Iīd bought a novel at the Academia Gallery which I started reading the next day and before I knew it, my fourth and last day in Florence was over!!! On to La Spezia (via Pisa for the obligatory photos and gelato) and a train into Riomaggiore (one of the Cinque Terre towns). After some confusion over the accommodation, we ended up with a lovely apartment on the top floor with views of the water, main street and terraced hills of houses and grape vines. A quick swim in the amazing turquoise water then back to the balcony for some bruchetta and gnocchi with pesto...mmmm! The next morning we set off with all good intentions of walking 3 of the trails between the 5 villages and training the last (hardest) one. The walk to Manarola was easy and had beautiful views. Manarola was quicly voted my favourite of the 5 towns with all the fishing boats ĻparkedĻ on the main street and a cute little port with clear water. The trail between Manarola and Corniglia had been closed off a few days before due to a rock fall so we ended up waiting an eternity for a train but eventually got to Corniglia for a poke around and some pizza with a stunning view. By this stage it was way too hot to walk any further so we continued by train to Vernazza where there was a bit of touristy shopping and swimming at the port to be done. Lastly, a train to Monterosso (the most touristy) of all the towns with itīs beach lined with umbrellas and deck chairs. Only stayed for a little while before catching the train back to Riomaggiore. That night after dinner, we walked back to Manarola for a view of the port at night then returned via Lovers Lane in pitch darkness.  Next stop Nice on the Cote DīAzure. The weather was stifling and the accommodation a little sub-standard. The next day, I was on a train to Monaco which was interesting but definitely didnīt blow me away (a little too much of a building boom in the 70īs for my liking) but the Aquarium was amazing! Tanks full of amazing coloured fish and starfish and seahorses etc. but the highlight would have to be the massive tank full of Nemoīs!!! There were hudreds of them in there!!! Not much to see and do in Nice so I spent the next day wandering through markets and shops then a bit of a dip and sit on the beach. Then yesterday it was on to Barcelona... First impressions of the place were not good as our pre-booked accommation turned into a problem bigger than Ben Hur. We were finally able to put our packs down and head for some dinner - Tapas and Sangria of course. And now that Iīve finally caught up on all the travel reporting...I can get out and see why Barcelona was ranked so high in the Top 20 cities of the world. Still a bit wary that everyone keeps mentioning pick-pockets, scam artists etc. but itīs got to be done! Hasta la vista...
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