Lisboa y Sintra

Oi Oi is how they would say it in Portugal! Well the little Spanish travelers took a little vacation to Lisbon Portugal last week! As you can tell from the pictures we had beautiful weather, in such a beautiful country. I was surprised at how many people in Portugal speak English, they almost all understood our English better than our Spanish. That is kind of a bummer for students who are learning Spanish, but oh well. I had one of those cool moments people talk about when they are learning a language. I was sitting on a wall overlooking the city at St. Jorge's Castillo when I heard people speaking and it was something I could understand. And this is the killer, it was Spanish! YEA!! At first I couldn't figure out if it was English or Spanish, because it sounded so normal to me. Oh my I just get emotional thinking about it! Anyway more about Portugal. We stayed in a total college kids hostel, it rocked! We slept nine to a room in bunk beds! Lisboa is a lot like San Fran. At least what I remember of it. It is really hilly, has a replica of the Golden Gate, and has a trolley system! Oh and of coarse I must mention the indigenous Pasteies of Belem, OH MY, and that is what I attribute my extra winter coat to! My favorite part of Lisbon was the World Fair Site. In 1992, I believe, the world Fair was held in Lisbon so they have this whole modernized part of town. We did not get to spend as much time as I would have liked there, but it was beautiful, right on the river. The picture of the flags was taken there, my two countries right next to each other, that is no coincidence. They had a lot of cool new architecture, and bikes for rent, it was a pretty happening place.
On one of the days we took the train about an hour north to visit the pueblo of Sintra. This place would take anyone's breath away. I have never been anywhere like it. The minute we walked off the train it smelled like flowers. Basically the whole town is a garden, and in the midst of the garden is a charming little city. Up on the top of the mountain, which we climbed, there are two castles. One is a moorish castle, the other the extravagant Palacio de Pena! WOW. This place was a popular summer retreat for the kings and queens of Portugal. We walked all through it, it was decorated with designed tiles of green, pink, yellow, blue. It was some what like the Alhambra, with it's Mudejar influence, only more decorated, and furnished. I love when historical places are furnished because it makes it easier to picture the people living there. For example, Mount Vernon, it was awesome because it was furnished how it would have been when George and Martha lived there! Also I love George Washington so I could have liked it because of that too! Sintra was a hit, on the way up the mountain we actually swung from a vine. I know remember we were in Portugal not the Amazon. It was a fabulous trip, everyone came home a little browner, and of coarse just a little more well-traveled!