Lovely Lisboa

After an impromptu trip to the Canary Islands last year, (and thanks to a little help from home!), Rob and I managed to catch up with our original itinerary in--wait for it--Lisbon! 

colorful streets

casual castles

monuments and monuments

Portugal, once a naval empire famous for producing explorers of the likes of Vasco da Gama, is today one of those little countries you usually hear about as they list off debt figures for the Eurozone. While I can't speak for how Ireland or Greece have reacted to recent economic hurdles, Portugal really left a positive impression of its character. Instead of despairing, the the country seems to be digging deeper to redefine its character. A prominent ad campaign highlighted a reorganization of priorities, wryly noting that while superfluous costs like shoe sales had gone down in the last year, essential commodity purchases had increased. 

Lisbon is a city that shines in its senescence. I was surprised when someone described it is a city that you either love or you hate, but that's probably because I loved it and hadn't imagined an alternative! People who don't fall for Lisbon complain of its decadence, but I think that there is a difference between an ancient city that is crumbling and a history that continues to be vibrant through continued innovation and creativity. To me, both the well-preserved and re-envisioned architecture added a pleasant air of nostalgia to an atmosphere that struck me as quirky and effervescent. With all the European charm but none of the big-time hassle, Portugal's capital city is the perfect place to mingle with tourists and locals to embrace everything the city has to offer.

there were a whole series of buildings like this, but I managed this quick shot from the bus!

creativity and colors

not a bad way to take your coffee

Rob and I made our way from the airport to the city center on the aerobus with no problems--public transport is one thing this city seems to be doing right! Between the art-deco train station, the classic yellow trolleys, and the neon metro stops, which you could (and we did!) confuse with art, getting around is not only hassle-free but surprisingly pleasant. A green via card costs just a few euro and it will get you just about everywhere.

train

trolly

metro

We checked in at our pousada then set out to explore. Our hotel was called Dom José, but the staff were so friendly and the building was so quaint that I doubt you could go very wrong on accommodations. Charm seemed to radiate from the city. While Rob and I had our morning coffee we mused at the strange music. "What is that, a didgeridoo?" Rob wondered. 

Yes, it was a didgeridoo. 

even a miser like me had to shell out some change for this guy

Rob and I, having now become quite accustomed to going with the flow, enjoyed the sights of Lisbon as we stumbled upon them in turn. We ran into some luck when we found the San Justa lift. Completed in 1902, the stylish vertical elevator connects the city center, the barrio baixo, with the trendy barrio alto above. Rob and I waited in line to go up, and were the last people allowed to ride for the night! At the top we took in the view and indulged in a delicious, touristy, and of all things, Italian, dinner! 

 

The next day we visited the San Jerónimo monastery and, exhausted at the end of our trip, took a pleasant nap by the tower of Belém. The beautiful UNESCO sites are symbolic of Portugal's age of discovery, and the monastery is the location of Vasco da Gama's tomb. This is also the birthplace of the delicious pasteis de belem, or natas as they're called in Spanish. We decided to walk back to the Lisbon proper to pass the afternoon, and I was surprised by how quickly the city faded into country. The quiet streets and small gardens could easily be confused with the ones in Galicia. 

Our time in Lisbon was well spent, but far too short. Hopefully Rob and I will make it back soon, and maybe on a pre-scheduled flight this time!

Monasterio de los Jerónimos de Belém

torre de Belém (as seen from our napping spot)

living art

a random encounter

hidden walkways

the 25th of April bridge

Have you ever been to Lisbon? Has an impromptu trip ever delightfully surprised you? 

Getting to Know You

Bilbao from above

Moving to a new place has its ups and downs. The last month and a half  of my Spanish adventure has had its share of both, from the struggles of apartment hunting and bureaucratic hoop-jumping, to the delights of discovering the small secrets of a foreign city. A list of my priorities might look something like the following. 

First mission: Find a place to live. Check.

Second mission: Make it legal. Check. (Or let's hope so.)

Third mission: Eat ham. Check!

The first and second items were a little tricky, but I feel that I have mastered the third. I live with two fun girls in the Casco Viejo, or the old quarters, of Bilbao. And after several visits, varying in length and pleasantness, to the foreign office, the police station, and the government building, I don't think that I will be deported any time soon. Until June, I can call Bilbao home, and dedicate myself ham eating!

my favorite ham store!

Casco Viejo in the rain

café con leche and a pintxo

Well... maybe not just to eating ham! I am also enjoying getting to know my students and picking up private classes. Teaching is another thing that has its ups and downs, but the amazing students you get to know always makes it worthwhile. Even if you are not an educator by trade, I would highly recommend incorporating some kind of cultural exchange into your travels, or even your daily life. Popular websites like couchsurfing.org, or if you are in Spain, tusclasesparticulares.com, offer a simple way to connect with local people and share skills. 

speaking of ups and downs...

While I tend to be more of an introvert who likes nature, my roommate, Lucie, is interested in all kinds of cultural pursuits, so we are able to do a lot of everything. Spain is a great place to live, because it offers easy access to both. Bilbao is what I describe as a "manageable" city. There are plenty of goings-on to fill your calendar, but most places are within walking distance, and even the mountains and the beach are only a short hop on public transport away. 

My first weeks as a resident of the Basque Country have been filled with rambles and adventures. The famous Guggenheim museum celebrated its birthday in October, so I stopped by to grab some free cake and check out the exhibits. (With absolutely no emphasis on that order, then again...) Another auxiliar friend is rather entrenched in the underground arts scene, so one Friday night I packed into his apartment to watch some locals jam. To burn off my excessive ham habit,  Lucie and I joined a stampede of Basque natives on a traditional hike from the city center to the top of Artxanda, one of the peaks surrounding the city. The pinnacle of my cultural awareness, though, was probably my first ever visit to Ikea!

As I get to know Bilbao, the list of things I want to do seems to be always growing longer, not shorter! 

source

the Guggenheim's birthday

an "Americanada" party in San Francisco

adventures in Ikea

the nervión at night

Because Spain.

yes, Spain is different!

"You ask some unusual questions," is a comment that I often hear in Spain. How do you say this? Why do you say that? What is this? Why do you do that? are quandaries I am always presenting friends and coworkers, equally in attempts to improve my language abilities and cultural awareness as to accomplish basic tasks like opening doors, operating appliances... Last year it took me about a month to discover the secret of turning on the television! (Really, who would think to use the channel button?)

Exploring cultures besides our own can be enlightening. And it can be frustrating.

One post in Often Wandering, Rarely Lost really resonated with me, because I empathized with Martina's feelings when she discovered that the Spanish post office doesn't carry stamps. When first mailing postcards from Cangas I was met with the same surprise. They didn't have any stamps, the man at the desk told me, but I might be able to find some at the tobacco store. Or maybe I could check back another day and they might have some. How could this be? At least in my personally unique life experience, when I think post office, I think "stamp store." That a business would stock its principal product only intermittently was dumbfounding if not inconceivable. Thankfully, Martina had the answer:

Because Spain.

This expression originates from a Redditor's poetic musings on being a foreigner in a strange land. In his case, it was China, but any traveler can benefit from his wisdom:

It's not a land in which the foreigner suffers. It is not ahostile land or a wild land. It is, rather, a land of pointless minorabsurdities and wholly unnecessary inconveniences, which coalesce to infuriatethe ill-tempered and delight the rest. When I first arrived, I was informed bya nice older gentleman, "FIRSTNAME, do not ever ask 'why' here. You canask yourself any other question, and the answers will enlighten you. But do notask 'why,' because here, there is no 'why.'" And he was right. Theanswer--the only answer--to "why" is "because China."

There is no why.

People say that you shouldn't criticize things that you don't understand, and I've come to think that you really shouldn't criticize anything, because you probably don't understand it. Even if there is no "why," there's usually a reason things are the way they are, however absurd and unnecessary it may be. So, my intent is not to pass judgement, but to share the things that have delighted me in my wandering.

To level the playing field, I'll start with some of the laughs I've had talking to people about American culture. As a casual observer in Spain, I am intensely interested in foreigners perceptions of my native country. Do we really eat hamburgers and hotdogs all the time? Why are the streets so poorly lit? Isn't there a law that the American flag must appear in every film? Why would they design the highway system so that, if you miss your exit, you're completely f*'d? Are the houses all built out of such flimsy materials? (Apparently 75% of the world's superstorms hit America, resulting in a lot of disaster-related, Twister-style press.) Someone even told me that they were under the impression that the sole purpose of smoke detectors was to punish people for smoking indoors.

But there's something funny about stereotypes... Let's just come out and admit it: They're all true. (Well, maybe not the smoke detectors bit, but hey, who knows! Big brother might be watching.) As a bilingual girl of average height and weight whose favorite restaurant is not McDonald's, stereotypes may not be precisos, but they have their sentidos. No, all of my meals don't come from a box, but, yes, I do love Kraft Mac n' Cheese every bit as much as a five-year-old child. No, I don't drive an SUV, but, yes, I will make an extra lap around the block to catch the end of my favorite song. And sometimes you just need to drive to Taco Bell at three in the morning, you know? Just embrace it. We're all products of experience, and there's nothing like a fresh foreign perspective to draw it to your attention for consideration.

So, what about Spain? Stay tuned to find out what anomalies have struck my fancy!