Monthly Archives: April 2016

The Algarve Beaches

Despite having been born and raised in beautiful beach-spoiled California, I knew we had to see the famous Algarve beaches in Southern Portugal. They did not disappoint. In addition to the gorgeous weather we were fortunate to have, the main … Continue reading

Posted in Portugal | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sintra

Anything you ever imagined about castles and fairytales can be found in Sintra, less than an hour’s drive west of Lisbon. Perched high atop a hill and overlooking the Atlantic to the west and Lisbon to the east, its fairytale … Continue reading

Posted in Portugal | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Lisbon

Most Americans flood the cities and towns of France, The UK, Southern Spain, Italy, and Germany, bringing back photos and stories from the same recognizable monuments.  Little is to be said of continental Europe’s westernmost country, but now after a brief … Continue reading

Posted in Portugal | 3 Comments

Central Spain

One option to road tripping Spain was to drive along the entire coast, which would include Portugal’s scenic coast.  But I couldn’t pass up the trio cluster of cities in central Spain: Segovia, Madrid, and Toledo…Segovia for the ancient Roman aqueducts, Madrid for … Continue reading

Posted in Spain | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Picos de Europa

People rave about the national parks of the U.S., Patagonia in South America, the whole country of New Zealand, and the French/Swiss Alps. No one speaks of Picos de Europa, and I don’t know if that’s a good or bad thing. … Continue reading

Posted in Spain | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

San Sebastian

Typically we try to avoid beach resort towns.  Jacked prices, rip-offs, crowds, and heat top the list of reasons to steer clear from them.  But with its convenient location across the Spanish-French border in Basque country, and with the brisk … Continue reading

Posted in Spain | Leave a comment

Bordeaux

Contrary to many people may think, I lack cultural and geographical knowledge of most parts of the world.  “You’ve never heard of Bordeaux?” Chris asked me.  Nope.  Perhaps that was why I enjoyed Bordeaux and its surroundings. Unlike Paris, this large city did … Continue reading

Posted in France | Leave a comment

Tours

Rugged and striking Brittany might have dampened our quick stop in Tours, the staging area for the Loire Valley. This countryside valley was once the region where princes, dukes, and nobles erected chateau after chateau as their getaways, and as a … Continue reading

Posted in France | Tagged | Leave a comment