The Algarve, Southern Portugal

These pictures do not do the Algarve justice.  The views are spectacular and the water clear and cool.  Sagres (yes, where the beer comes from), Lagos, Salema and Faro are some of the many cities in the Algarve whose beaches we tanned on.  My favorite was in Lagos (pronounces lah-goosh) and Praia de Dona Ana.  Praia means beach in Portuguese.

Jersey- More than Cows

Jersey- not the US state New Jersey, but “old” Jersey- is one of the UK Channel Islands. It is actually closer to France (you can see the coast of France on a clear day!) than to the UK. I think it was Victor Hugo who said the Channel Islands were “Bits of Europe dropped by France and picked up by England.” Jersey (like the cow- renowned for its high milk yield and amazing taste, note the photo), Guernsey (also a breed of cow), Herm, Sark and Alderney are the Channel Islands (Herm and Sark seen here). Here’s a nice shot of the market in downtown St. Hélier, the capital.

Fun in Jersey

Jersey, while very small, has a very diverse coastline. It was very much like the Oregon coast: sand on some beaches, rocks on others, and others with straight cliffs. There are a few places (like Corbière lighthouse and Elizabeth Castle) that you can walk to at low tide. But be careful- don’t get stuck as the tide comes in! The tide can reach 38 feet. One of me on one of the rare sunny days that we saw. The other sunny day Monty and I rode a tandem bike along the cycle path by the ocean front. So fun!

Guernsey and Victor Hugo

We took a day trip to Guernsey to see Victor Hugo’s house. He lived there while in exile. He was much more than an author- painter, decorator, philosopher. A real renaissance man, only during the mid-late1800s. Photo with flowers is the view from Hugo’s bedroom. Also, the view from the apartment I stayed in. Right on the water.

Buda and Pest

We spent the following week relaxing in beautiful Budapest. It is actually two cities (Buda and Pest- pronounced Pesht by Hungarians) divided by the Danube. The parliament building is probably the most recognizable- stunning architecture! Budapest is known for its thermal baths- many of which are in buildings from Ottoman days. We went to 2 Turkish spas, the famous Gellért (gorgeous mosaic tile decorate the inside) and the more recent Széchenyi, with phenomenal outside pools. Both were beautiful and relaxing.

Brief Bratislava

Bratislava, Slovakia, and Vienna, Austria, are Europe’s closest capitals. Bratislava is a lovely little town that is slowly emerging from the Iron Curtain of not-so-long-ago. We spent a day there before moving on to Budapest. This is a photo of a church and a standard menu at most restaurants.

Off to Vienna!

All I did in Vienna was eat cake. I ate cake in cute little konditterei, before and after the opera (Die Fledermaus), at intermission at “Much Ado About Nothing” in German and at piano concerts, and here at Shoenbrunn, the Habsburg palace. We went to the Belvedere to see the Klimt- pretty sure there was cake involved. Vienna is a beautiful, clean city full of history and culture. Monty and I spent a fabulous week there enjoying the sun, lilacs, and of course, the cake!