Portugal April 2009

Lisbon and Sintra – April 2009

Steve and I spent Easter weekend in Lisbon and Sintra Portugal. I sent out a link to the photos shortly after we returned (click here to see them again plus a few more that we just added). Finally, here is the narrative to go along with the pictures.

Our trip to Portugal was a chance for both of us the experience a new place. Neither of us had been to Portugal and we were excited to finally be going. It did not disappoint. We saw beautiful churches, glorious castles, mysterious palaces, gorgeous tiled buildings, and funky old rattling trams and funiculars.

We spent the first two days exploring Lisbon. We must have walked a marathon in those two days, but it was hard to stop when there was so much to see. Our first day included a walk from our hotel to the Castelo de Sao Jorge. Along the way we saw the beautiful cobblestones of Rossio Square, the many shops and restaurants along Rua Augusta, the statues of the Arco do Triunfo, the cloisters of the oldest cathedral (Sé) in Lisbon, and the conveniently located (if you are a man) sidewalk urinal. The castle was magnificent and we had lots of fun exploring. It is a good thing we worked up an appetite, because dinner was a huge seafood extravaganza. Steve had an amazing platter of grilled seafood and I had a lovely Portuguese stew with cod (bacalhau) and rice. Believe it or not, we needed more walking after our huge meal. We walked to Rossio Square and found a long line of people waiting to be served something being poured from a large unmarked bottle in to a little plastic cup. According to our guide book, it was the local cherry brandy (ginjinha). We had some; it was good!

Our adventures on day two included gathering picnic items and walking to the botanical gardens and the aqueduct. That evening we had an amazing crab dinner at Cervejaria de Trindade, a former monastery turned in to a beer hall. We liked this place so much, we went back again two nights later.

We took a train to Sintra on the third day. Sintra is enchanting. One of the main attractions in Sintra is the Castelo dos Mouros, located high up on a big hill. Steve convinced me that we should walk up to the castle from town. I grumbled a bit, but went along with it and I am so glad we walked! It was much, much better than taking the crowded bus. The castle was fascinating and really a privilege to see. A short walk away was the Palacio de Pena. It is an extravagant, pink and pastel palace, located even higher up on the big hill. It was built to be a summer palace for a former king and queen. The building combines many different styles and includes carvings and statues of mythical creatures. I am sad to say that I forgot to charge the camera battery the night before, so we did not take many pictures of the Palacio de Pena.

We could not restrain ourselves from taking pictures at the next place we went, so we resorted to using our cell phones to try to capture the amazing things we saw at the Quinta da Regaleira. The pictures aren't great quality, but the memories are amazing. The Quinta da Regaleira estate was built in 1892. The main house (palace) has an incredibly detailed Gothic façade; from a distance it looks like a drip sand castle. Each room inside is decorated in a different theme. Nearby is the chapel, which also has a Gothic façade and many fascinating things to see inside. But, the real fun and mystery is in the gardens. As we entered the estate we saw that several people had flashlights with them and we didn’t understand why since the sign said the place closed before dark. We soon learned that a flashlight would indeed have been nice to have (a useful tip to include in a guide book!!). Once again, our cell phones came in handy; we used the lighted displays to illuminate the path when it got too dark to see our hands or feet. Throughout the gardens are towers, bridges, stepping stones across ponds, hidden doorways, stairways to nowhere, and long, dark, dark tunnels. Unfortunately a young girl did not find the stepping stones across the pond as wonderful as we did. We think she inadvertently stepped off of a stone on to the “grass” and was very surprised to sink. We did not see it happen, but we pieced together the scene from what we heard - happy chattering, then a splash, and then screams from both the mom and the girl. Then, we saw a sad, dripping-wet girl being admonished and dragged back to the car. We were so delighted to come upon Quinta da Regaleira and know next to nothing about it; everything was a great surprise. (Sorry if I ruined it for any of you who might go there someday. It is still worth the trip because you have to see it for yourself.)

Belem and the much sought after Belem tart were the focus of our fourth and last day in Portugal. We had hoped to go to the maritime museum in Belem, but it was closed. We meandered through town and saw the Belem Tower and the Padrao dos Descobrimentos (a monument to exploration and discovery). Before heading back to Lisbon we got Belem tarts at the Antiga Confetaria de Belem. A little nibble of heaven.

Springtime and Visitors - April and May 2009

Our friend Sheila came to visit in April; perfect timing for a visit to the Keukenhof and a trip to Paris. In May, Steve’s mom came for 10 days, and it was off again to the Keukenhof – I don’t think a person can go too many times. We enjoyed being tour guides and got to see new places as well.

The Keukenhof is the big tulip display garden in Holland. It is open from the end of March until the end of May each year. The pictures speak for themselves. A person cannot take enough pictures at the Keukenhof. The Web site says it is the most photographed place in the world – a lofty claim to be sure, but it might be true. Click here for photos.

Sheila and I took a quick weekend trip to Paris during the week she visited. I loved being in Paris again. The Thalys train line was having a special, so we got a discount on first class tickets for our trip. What a difference from second class! First class passengers get served a hot meal, which comes with your choice of beverages (e.g. wine, beer, soda, etc.), and dessert. There is also free wireless internet access. Wow! We had a great ride to Paris. When we arrived, we went straight to see the Eiffel Tower, which was beautifully lit for the evening. We decided a nearby bench was the perfect spot to enjoy our peanut butter and jelly sandwiches we packed along for the train ride (b/c we did not expect to get food on the train). We spent two beautiful, busy days seeing Notre Dame, The Louvre, and The Musee d’Orsay and walking along the Champs Elysee. Photos of Paris.

One of the highlights of Steve’s mom’s visit was our afternoon at the Kroller-Muller Museum and Hoge Veluwe National Park. We brought the dogs, hopped on the free bikes, and enjoyed a nice picnic. The sculpture garden was beautiful.

During his time off, Steve and I took a day trip to Haarlem where we saw the Christiaan Müller pipe organ at the Saint Bavo church. The organ is over 100 feet tall. In July, Steve and I went back to hear an organ concert. The sound was truly amazing. The St. Bavo church is also known for its wood carvings, I have included a picture of the “Pillar Biter,” one of our favorites.

April 30 every year is Queen’s Day in The Netherlands. It is the day the whole country celebrates the reigning queen’s birthday. Usually the date changes with each new monarch, but the current Queen’s birthday is in January, so she decided to keep April 30 (her mother’s b-day) as the national holiday so the festivities could be held outside. The biggest party in the country is in Amsterdam. The streets and the canals (all of them) fill with people wearing something, anything orange. It really is a fun time.

Also, this spring we had a chance to see Theo Jansen’s kinetic sculptures on the beach. The sculptures are either powered by compressed air or can be pushed by hand across the sand. They are amazing to watch in motion. Photos of Kroller-Muller, Den Haag, Haarlem, Queen’s Day, and kinetic sculptures on the beach.

United Arab Emirates March 2009

Click here for photos


In March, I (Candi) had a fantastic opportunity to visit a friend in the United Arab Emirates. I spent time in Dubai and Abu Dhabi.

Dubai is a steel and concrete jungle in the desert that continues to expand through many, many massive construction projects. Spectacular architecture, amazing engineering, and influences from all over the world are evident at every turn. Dubai exists primarily as a business destination, but the tourism industry is growing. Abu Dhabi is not as big and glittery as Dubai, but there are still many high end hotels and very large shopping malls.

In Dubai, my adventures included window shopping at the Dubai Mall and an afternoon browsing the open air souks (markets). The Dubai Mall claims to be the largest shopping mall in the world. I only saw a small part of it, but in that small part was a full size ice rink, domed ceilings, an aquarium, a beautiful sculpture of divers in a waterfall that is several stories high, and countless jewelry and rug shops. The souks were very touristy – as in kitschy and crowded with large organized tour groups. But, I adored the spice souk where I bought yummy cardamom coffee and saffron threads. The aromas and colors were wonderful. Near the souks is the Dhow Wharf. Old wooden boats (dhows) still dock there. The boats are essentially shipping containers, bringing in goods from other countries. They are unloaded by hand. In contrast to the open air markets and the Dhow Wharf, are the modern, massive, air conditioned shopping centers with all the chain stores and restaurants you can imagine. I snapped a couple of pictures of a Starbucks and an Ikea sign written in Arabic.

The Emirates Palace in Abu Dhabi is a “7 star hotel.” I’m not even sure what that means…but the foyer was definitely palatial and the food and cappuccino at the lobby café were divine. A schedule of events posted in the lobby advertised a concert by Coldplay, so I assume there is a venue big enough to have a rock concert within the hotel. We went one afternoon to see a photography exhibit; ironically the exhibit was of Europeans and scenes from Europe.

One of the most memorable cultural experiences I had in the UAE was seeing the many mosques and hearing the daily calls to prayer; the calls just before dawn were especially unforgettable. The shopping malls have ablution (cleansing) rooms and prayer rooms so people can observe the call to prayer and not have to leave the mall. Most mosques are closed for tours and non-Muslims are not permitted inside. However, The Grand Mosque, located in Abu Dhabi, is open to the public for tours. It is a project initiated by the former president of the UAE to educate people about Islam. The Grand Mosque is a beautiful structure, and stunning to see from any distance. To go inside, female visitors must wear an abaya (a full length dress) and a head scarf. These are provided at a kiosk before entering. In my experience, wearing these did not increase the amount of respect people gave to their surroundings. Many women were giggling and posing for pictures or struggling to try to keep the head scarf on or not trip over the hem of the abaya. It definitely takes a practiced hand to correctly put them on and wear them with ease.

The food was incredible. Food from anywhere in the world is available. For example, we had Indian, Japanese, Thai, Korean, and lots and lots of Lebanese food. The hotel buffets were fresh, elegant, and diverse and visually stunning. I had the absolute best falafel and tabouli at a little neighborhood restaurant in Abu Dhabi. I got addicted to zataar croissants at Starbucks and I think they should feature them in all their cafes everywhere in the world. I saw, but did not try camel's milk. Perhaps I will give it a try on the next visit.

Photos - Lisbon April 2009

Dear family and friends,

Here is a link to some (60!!) photos from our Easter weekend trip to Lisbon, Sintra, and Belem, Portugal.  These are amazing places and we are glad we had the opportunity to see them.  We enjoyed walking on hills (big ones!) and seeing the beautiful parks, gardens, churches, castles, and monuments.  And, of course, we had spectacular food.  We will write a longer update soon, for now we hope you enjoy these photos.

http://picasaweb.google.com/Candi.Wines/LisbonApril2009?authkey=Gv1sRgCP3jzd3Vm9rQ8AE&feat=directlink

Love,
Steve and Candi
candi.wines@gmail.com
steve.b.ferguson@gmail.com

Netherlands Update #7 January 2009

Happy New Year Everyone!

It has been a few months since the last update in October. Here are some highlights from the past few months.

Steve and I spent Christmas and New Year's resting and relaxing at home. On Christmas Day, we went to the beach and flew a kite. The beach was surprisingly crowded despite the fact that it was about minus 1 degree Celsius. But the sun was out, thus people were out in droves. We also took a day trip to nearby Utrecht on the long weekend around Christmas and went to the neighborhood park to ice skate on New Year's Day. It was very cold in The Netherlands during December and just before New Year's the canals and public skating areas were frozen solid enough to support ice skating. The canals have not frozen solid enough to support skating in a number of years, so people were very excited to finally have the opportunity to get out on the ice. The canals were packed with skaters of all ages and abilities on the weekends and after school. We had great fun skating when we could. During the last full moon, a few people were out skating in the moonlight. It really was a wonderful thing to see. The temperature rose and stayed above 0 in early January, so the ice has melted and I think outdoor skating might be finished for the season. But, it has been cold the past few days and it is even snowing today, so maybe we will ice skate again before spring arrives.

In late November, we saw the arrival of Sinterklaas and about 300 Zwarte Pieten from Spain. Unfortunately, the pictures did not turn out very well because we didn't have a very good vantage point in the massive crowd that gathered at the Scheveningen Harbor to see the SS Madrid arrive. From late November until December 5, Sinterklaas and Zwarte Piet travel around Nederland and visit children. Sint Nicolaas Day is December 6 and that is when children receive gifts from Sinterklaas. And they get loads of gifts on Christmas too!

In November, we had a fabulous trip to Washington and Oregon for Thanksgiving. We visited with several friends and spent a few days with Steve's family. Given the unusual amount of snow at Christmas time affecting the Seattle and Olympia area, we are glad we chose to visit in November. Unfortunately, the house we are renting out in Olympia sustained a little damage from the weather and we are experiencing our first wave of repairs, frustrations, and related expenses associated with the rental. We hope those of you who are in the area made it through the snowy weather without any major mishaps and that you were safe from the recent flooding.

Also in November we took a day trip to Munster, Germany. It was a Sunday... so we learned a good lesson about traveling in Europe outside of the peak tourist season: many places are closed on Sundays. Munster is beautiful, however the day was not very fulfilling as we drove for a long time, arrived in town, parked the car, walked around, ate lunch, and then left and drove again for a long time to get home. I think our next trip to Germany will be more thoroughly researched. One great thing about Germany that doesn't seem to exist in The Netherlands is public toilets! We saw our first European roadside rest stop on the way to Munster. It was a very welcome sight.

We seem to have created somewhat of a routine and it feels more like we live here now. I am not saying we feel settled; everyday is still a learning experience. We have delayed unpacking many of our boxes because we have been hoping to move from this apartment, so we are still searching for things in boxes on a semi regular basis and still uncertain about how long we will stay. However, with much of the bureaucrazy of moving from the US behind us, we have finally been able to focus more on living here and getting to know our neighbors and community a little better. I finished a 12 week Dutch course in January (Steve's comment - Candi received a very high score on her exam!) , and will be starting the next level on February 3. Together Steve and I are absorbing more of what goes on around us, but it is still a guessing game most of the time.

We recently had dinner with some neighbors who made us a traditional Dutch meal including two varieties of homemade stamppot (a mix of mashed potatoes, cooked green vegetable, and one of several types of mystery meat) and griesmeel pudding for dessert. It was very good, and incredibly filling. It took us three days to be hungry again after that meal.

We discovered that for New Year's one of the the traditional sweets is oliebollen (literally "oil balls"), which, we are told, are a precursor to donuts. Oliebollen are only sold in sidewalk kiosks and bakeries during the couple of weeks before and after January 1. They are deep fried balls of dough (i.e. huge "donut holes") either plain or with currants and sprinkled with powdered sugar. Yummy. Also for New Year's the whole country goes crazy with fireworks. We have never seen anything like it. It put our Fourth of July to shame and I think it even surpassed the opening ceremonies of the 2008 Olympics. The major differences here are, all the fireworks are set off by random people in the streets. The show is not a publicly sponsored event put on by professionals and it doesn't just last 15 - 20 minutes; it goes on for hours. Standing on our patio was like being in the center of an Omnidome theater with fireworks blasting from every possible direction. The downside of it all was that the air was thick with smoke through the next day and the streets were littered with firework debris for weeks afterward. Not pretty. We read in the paper that the population of the Netherlands (approx.16,645,313) spent 65 million euros on fireworks for New Year's. Incredible.

All in all the Christmas holiday and New Year's were interesting and filled with new and unusual experiences, however, we both found ourselves missing home and longed to be with family and friends.

This past weekend we got off the continent for a few days and spent a fabulous weekend in London, England. It was a very relaxing travel experience since were were somewhat familiar with London from previous visits, but we also got to experience several new things. Since we were lucky to have some sunshine, we walked for miles and miles despite the cold, windy weather. Of course we were happy to warm ourselves in pubs with hearty food and great British beer.

We are looking forward to visits from friends and family in the next few months and we are planning a few trips to see more of Europe. We hope to share more travel stories and pictures in future updates. We wish you and yours all the best in 2009.

Here is a link to some recent photos: http://picasaweb.google.com/Candi.Wines/January2009?authkey=ZTg-C1_lIIY#

Cheers!

Steve and Candi