July 10th-11th

These past two days were just amazing. We had planned to visit Lisboa and Abel and Bella decided to show us certain sites along the way and then spend a night in Lisbon, see some of the sites and then return to Aveiro in the Evening. We packed the car early in the morning and were off on the road by 9 a.m. When I mean off, I mean OFF...The most memorable aspect of the journey toward Lisbon was the way Abel drives. There's Michael Schumacher and then there is... Abel. He was driving 180 km/hr which is well over 110 mph. He was darting between cars and although I knew he was an excellent driver, my heart was racing a little bit.
The first place we stopped at was monastary of Batalha. This monastery was built in the 15th century and upon first seeing it I was amazed at its shear size. As we entered I was taken aback by the immense height of the ceiling and the thickness of walls. We even came upon a entry way within the monastary that was astounding with the intricate carvings made of stone. The monastary also had these amazing columns, arches, and stained glass windows that were a sight to behold. There were also tombs dedicated to certain major figures in Portuguese history that were so intricately carved and designed with sculptures of lions at the base. Just a Beautiful site to behold. As we continued to walk through the monastary we came upon a pristine open air garden with beautiful hedges and bushes. Walking through the monastary it was hard not to be at peace with beauty around you.
The next stop on our tour was the holy site of Fatima. This site is considered one of the holiest in all the world because according to legend, it is thought that Our Lady appeared to 3 sheperd children in the early 1900's at a tree in Fatima. Entering Fatima square I was struck with the pristine nature and simplicity of the place. The square was absolutely massive and as we walked towards the church we saw numerous pilgrims walking on their knees around the compound deep in prayer. I was struck with the diversity of people who came to Fatima with young and old completely devoted to searching for miracles. While were were there an outdoor mass was in session and even though it was a week day it was packed with believers. My mom, dad, and I decided to buy some candles and throw them into the fire and pray for certain things in our lives that needed gods attention. As walked around the grounds we even came upon the actual tree that it is though Mary appeared and were sure to get a photograph. We then decided to go inside the church of Fatima and were amazed to see shrines dedicated to the three sheperd children, all now deceased, inside the church. Being in Fatima was truly an amazing experience because it almost felt as though one could connect with God on a higher level just being in that environment.
The final stop of the day was at the castle and town of Tomar. When arrived in Tomar we had to walk through a castle entrance as if were walking into a fortress. As we walked on we saw these beautiful narrow cobblestone streets lined with inns, stores, and taverns. The buildings on either side were rustic and old in appearance but had beautiful flowers adoring the windows. Finally, after walking about 15 minutes we arrived at the actual castle and when we walked in we were able to see the ancient structures of stone before us. The castle actually looked like something out of Lord of the Rings, with the massive fortified wall and stone walkways. We even walked up the stone walkways to walls to get a better view of the surroundings. Doing so was pretty scary because the walkways are very narrow and have no rail, so if you fall its a good 20-30 feet to ground.
From there we then continued directly to Jennifer and Castro's house in Lisboa. We got there rather late and so while mum and dad went to sleep I watched The Da Vinci Code on DVD before heading off to sleep.

July 9th

Today was another amazing day because today Abel we met Abel’s mother who lives in the rural mountainous part of Portugal. We were a bit lazy today and woke up late but after having lunch we departed for a 1 hour journey up into the mountains of Portugal. The drive was absolutely beautiful and I just tried to take in the natural beauty of Portugal. Along the way we saw an ancient bridge contructed during the Roman times but which is still used today. Along the way we saw numerous farming communities and their homes and lifestyle reminded me so much of our Goan way of life. As we finally pulled up to Abel’s mother’s home we saw the most curious site. Abel’s uncle and a group of fellow farmers had just killed a 300 hundred pound pig and were using a blow torch apparatus to “cure” it and remove its hair as well as clean it. The site of the men around the pig took me back to Goan feast times where people kill a pig for cooking. After watching them a while we then entered Abel’s property and were amazed to see his mothers personal garden/farm. Abel was quite eager to show us the numerous vegetables and fruits growing there such as tomatoes, lettuce, collard greens, peas, apples, pears, kiwis, grapes, onions, raspberries, watermelons, and others. I could go on for days. It was truly amazing to see his mothers crops and the amount of work that goes into maintaining it. I even got to taste some raspberries and nectarines straight off the tree!

After exploring for a while we then went into his mother’s home. The home is actually quite interesting because it has a traditional Portuguese exterior with a tiled roof, however with certain modern amenities. Abel's mother was so excited to have guests over to her house and was eager to show us around. She took us into her "old" kitchen and showed us her wine making compound as well as her 1000 liter wine fermenting chamber. She also took us up to the roof of her house where we were able to see the beautiful mountainside of Portugal. As we came back in it was hard not to notice the massive pieces of cured ham that were hanging in the stairway. mmmhhh! By that time were all getting hungry and so we ate a traditional Portuguese meal consisting of fish soup, rice, salad, and chorizo. For dessert we had some of Abel's mom's homemade jam with cheese. It was out of this world! The best jam I have ever eaten.

June 8th

Today was special day because Abel took us to see much of Aveiro, Portugal. In the morning we first visited the Vista Allegre Porcelain factory and were able to view an exhibit detailing the history of the brand from its beginnings in the mid 1700’s to present. It was really interesting to see how the work and the brand has evolved over the past 300 years. The exhibit showed how much of the technological advances and artistic styles of the past several centuries were simultaneously integrated into making crockery and décor pieces. It was also quite interesting to see how control of the brand has remained very much a family affair from Vista Allegre himself to now his great-great-great-great-great grandsons. That’s a lot of greats!

After spending much of the morning there, Abel then decided to take us to see some old Portuguese houses constructed in the olden style. These houses date back some 300 years and have a characteristic colored striped appearance. By then we were getting a bit hungry so Abel took us to a nice seaside restaurant. There we decided to sample some of the local favorites such as fried mackerel with olive oil and garlic, a s simple olive oil salad and traditional rice. The food was delicious and we supplemented it with some vinho verde (sparkling wine which goes very well with fish). For dessert I decided to try a traditional Portuguese dessert called “cream of the sky” which was quite good.

After chatting a bit we then decided to get a taste of downtown Aveiro. Abel took us to an area where sea inlet cut through the town and boats routinely make their way. Many of the older Portuguese houses and shops of Aveiro are located there. There were also able to see an interesting circular bridge that was recently constructed. Walking through town we were also able to see Aveiro’s “Se Cathedral”. Finally after walking quite a bit, Abel took us to a shopping forum (open air mall) where we were able to see all the modern shops. Finally we spent the rest of the day walking through Aveiro's waterlined streets. The town is very unique in that it has water streets much like Venice where fishermen can navigate their boats.

June 6th-7th

I am writing you from Aveiro, Portugal. First I will give you a recap of how we got here. From Torreviaja, Spain we took a train to Madrid. Unfortunately we could not see Madrid due to a lack of time. From Madrid we then took a train to Salamanca, Spain and had to spend about 4 hours there waiting for next train. While there we met a french waitress who was so nice and gave a lot of advice about what to see in Portugal as well as served us some of the best coffee I have ever drunk. Finally at about 5 in morning we caught the train which took us into the heartland of Portugal. I probably slept 1 hour during the night becuase I was admiring the natural beauty of the land. Portugal is a small country, but it seems like so much of the country is untouched or used purely for farming and thus maintains its natural beauty. By the time we finally arrived in Aveiro it was about 9 a.m. and we were greeted by Bella and her husband Abel. They took us to their home and mum, dad, and myself just feel asleep as soon as our heads touched the pillow.
However, the next day was special, because we visited the city of Porto which is about an hour away by train. We got there quite early and as soon as we exited the train station I was struck with the immense beauty and history of the city. We first took time to walk through the main "ramblass". Then we moved on to the "Se Cathedral" and saw many of the other local churches. The "Se cathedrals" look magnificent from the outside, but once I entered I was taken with the amazing gold and woodwork. I think it is just amazing how people of the olden times devoted their life to creating masterpieces for the glorification of God. From the Se Cathedral we then moved onto the inner streets of the city and since it was around lunch time we stopped at a local snack shop. There we tried some portugeuse croquettes, samosas, bacalau (cod), and potato chops. My mum and I also tried a glass of Port wine which has its origins in Porto. The snacks were tasty and Port was amazing and strong. After finishing up we then headed toward the "Rio Douro" river. There one can find some of the most beautiful scenes in all of Porto, with majestic bridges hanging over the water, houses nestled in the cliffs and hills that drop directly into the river water below, as well as boats and gondolas elegantly gliding back and forth across the surface. I have included some pictures. There we crossed the bridge and saw the many wine caves and shops lining the river. We came there a bit late but were still able to the Sandeman Port museum and see how the world famous brand is made and stored. Normally if you come earlier in the day many of the wineries have guided tours and end with a wine tasting. Well that is a good enough reason for me to come back to Porto!
After seeing all these amazing sights we then decided to head back to "ramblass" and take in the BIG GAME. Portugal was playing France in the semis of the World Cup for the chance to play Italy in the final. I bought a nice Portugal futball jersey and took in the game with thousands of Portuguese fans in the ramblass as they watched the game on big screen TVs. The fans really supported their team and many wrapped themselves in Portugal banners, flags, and even had their faces painted. The game ended with France winning on a controversial penalty kick but it was fun to take in the game with enthused fan shouting Portuuugaaaal, Portuuugaaaal...

June 30 - July 3

These past few days have been amazing. The south of Spain is absolutely beautiful and the weather is fantastic. We are staying at a place called the La Dorada Club in a district of Torreviaja called Plaje Los Locos (Place of the crazies!), but there is nothing crazy about this place. The place is built like a Spanish villa with beautifully plastered arches and wooden beams. All the beds and shelves are essentially built into the villa which is something I have never seen before. It certainly has a wonderful charm to it. The beaches are also amazing and quite different from the states. Here women regularly prance around topless and the men wear the infamous "Speedo" which I can't seem to get use to. However, the water is wonderfully luke warm and I try to take advantage of it. We have spent many of our days either swimming at the beach or in this spectacular pool at the La Dorada Club. The pool is amazing with bridges built in, a bar, and is surrounded by palm trees and beautiful Spanish style villas.
A few days ago on friday we went to the local friday bazaar and saw all the crafts, clothes, and things that are sold locally. The bazaar held in Torreviaja is the largest in Spain and I picked up a FC Barcelona hat for like 10 euros. At night we take a stroll near the coastline (As many of the locals like to do) and saw many similar vendors selling their wares. This traditional walk is done in the evening and called "the promenade" usually with their dogs. It is not unusual to see people eating dinner outside late into the evening. The coast is absolutely beautiful at night and is well lit with all the coastal restaurants, bars, and "heladerias" (ice cream stores). We even saw some live pan flutists playing many songs. Last night, on one of of our walks we sampled some Spanish pastries. Spain is famous for its chorizo (spicy sausage) and one pastry containing sausage and cheese inside a bun was particularly tasty.
Unfortunately this week saw the end to Argentina's campaign in the world cup, but on the bright side Portugal won. It will be exciting to visit Portugal next week as they take on France for the chance to be in the world cup finals. As a side note, I bought some "Futball" jerseys and another cap since we don't get them in the states. I picked up a FC Barcelona and Manchester United jersey as well as a Argentina cap. Enjoy the photo that was taken from the coast of Torreviaja. Today we leave for Portugal via Madrid, Spain. More to follow...

June 24 and 25

Today we left Ponte Di Legno at around 1:45 in the afternoon and took buses and trains to Milan. We only had a few hours in Milan so we wanted to make the best of it. We walked through the streets of Milan and admired many of modern buildings. I was especially enamored with the Milan bus station which was so massive and impressive with its beautiful sculptures. From Milan we caught a flight to Barcelona, Spain and arrived around midnight. We were picked up at the airport by Anton Da Gama, who took us to his apartment. There we met his wife Maria Dolores and son Eric Da Gama. The next day we took in the sites around Barcelona. Anton and his wife first took us to park designed by Gaudi, a famous Spanish architect. His buildings are just absolutely gorgeous and one has to appreciate his immense creativity. Anton and Maria then showed us a beautiful cathedral called “Sagrada Familia”. The construction of the cathedral started over 100 years ago and is still not complete! It is slated to be finished in 2020. The cathedral is just amazingly intricate with a side that had gothic sculpture and another side with modern sculpture. Beautiful is all I can say! For lunch Anton and Maria Dolores were nice enough to take us to the beach that was constructed for the 1992 Olympics. There we met up with Eric, Sandra, and her friends. The restaurant was wonderful and we ate out on the decks. We were served an assortment of dishes such as cod, fried calamari, eggplant, and engaged in “picka, picka” where you essentially sample the different dishes. For the main course, we ate "Paella", a traditional Spanish dish which has an assortment of mussels, calamari, and shrimp mixed with rice. Think jumbalaya! Delicious! We also drank sangria, a traditional Spanish drink consisting of wine, fanta, and slices of fresh orange. After drinking that, any headache will disappear. Finally for dessert we ate flan, almond cakes dripping with wine, and ice cream with chocolate mousse sauce.

In the afternoon Anton took us to a famous shopping area known as “The Ramblass” where we saw various street entertainers and musical acts. He also showed us the site where Christopher Columbus returned from his voyage to the new world, which is now marked with an amazing monument. Finally Anton showed us all the constructions that were done for the 1992 Olympics.

To top off an amazing day, Eric and I went to a Spanish Bar and watched the first half of the England –Ecuador match and then walked down the street to the FC Barcelona soccer stadium. The soccer stadium is home to one of the world’s best soccer clubs and players such as Ronaldhino and Lionel Messi as well as former players such as Figo, Rivaldo, and other greats. They are also the current UEFA Champs. The stadium is the 2^nd largest in the world, and houses over 100,000 spectators, and is just a block away from Anton’s house. I was in heaven! I went with Eric to the stadium and took several photos. Tomorrow we will be leaving for Torreviaja, Spain.

June 23

Today was special day. We planned to spend the day in Venice. We woke up at 2:30 a.m. and caught a taxi to the Edolo, a neighboring town to Ponte Di Legno. From there we then caught a bus to Brescia. From Brescia we then took a train to Venice. We finally arrived in Venice at about 9:00 a.m. Despite the long journey, it was well worth it. We were able to walk through Venice at our leisure and saw the famous waterways and canals that divide the city. It was amazing to see the gondolas and boats traverse the watery streets. The city in its heyday was a major trading post and was inhabited mainly by merchants who loved to show off their wealth. The building were rustic looking, with various shades of red, yellow, and beige. As you walk through the city you encounter numerous bridges, but the largest one traverses the “Grand Canal”. The view from the Grand Canal is just amazing and allows you to see the water line the buildings. We were also able to visit a theater/opera house where Antonio Vivaldi himself walked through and performed his masterpieces (for example the Four Seasons). For lunch we stopped and ate some pizza at a local pizzeria. We sampled some of the local favorites such a Gargonzola and Cotto ham pizza as well as a Proscuitto, artichoke, and muchroom pizza. The pizza was OK but I wasn’t exactly blown away. I actually think Papa Johns make a pretty damn good pizza after eating Italian pizza. The rest of the day was quite nice as we spent it just walking the streets and admiring the buildings and the canals. We also visited many of the local souvenir shops. We decided to leave around 4 p.m. and headed back home to Ponte Di Legno. Tomorrow is going to be a big day since we leave for Barcelona, Spain. Here a few more pictures of Venice to wet your appetite.

June 21

We have spent much of the last several days exploring the town of Ponte Di Legno. The life is so layed back here and the beauty cannot be conveyed in words. The town is simple and quaint with shops blending seamlessly with homes and built around a furious torrent of melted ice water that flows down from the mountrains through the valley. The people are so friendly and nice, but unfortunately for us do not speak English. This is something that we really cannot fathom. The Italians seem to be so nationalistic that they don’t teach English in their school. Whenever we try to communicate with locals we have speak slowly and use hand gestures to get them to understand. They also seem frustrated by this language barrier but do their best to help us. I have to say though, the language barrier doesn’t bother me. The Italian language is so beautiful that it sounds like poetry as it rolls of their tongues. I just love it!

While in Italy we also wanted to try the food, and when we went to the “supermercato” we bought some of the local meats such as “salami nostrano” and “cotte d elle”. The food in Italy is amazing and the people here take great pains to make sure their food is fresh. One day we decided to try “gelato” at a local gelateria and were pleasantly surprised at the numerous flavors of ice cream one could get such as pistachio, hazelnut, tiramisu, walnut, and others. During the past week I was also able to take in a World Cup match at local bar and drank a lovely frothy cappuccino and ate pizza margheretta with a bunch of German fans who cheered on as Germany routed Ecuador. Here is picture from the town of Ponte Di Legno.

June 20

It has been a while since I posted so I will try to bring you up to speed. From Zurich we took a 4 hr Eurorail train ride to Milan, Italy. From Milan we then jumped onto another train for 45 minutes which took us to Bergamo. From Bergamo we then had a 3 hr bus journey to Ponte Di Legno. The train and bus rides were wonderful because it allowed us to see the vast beauty of the Italian countryside. Italy is such a beautiful place with so much of the land untouched by man. We arrived in Ponte Di Legno at 10:30 at night and were dropped off at the “stazione” as they call it. It was dark and there were no taxis present and the bus driver was kind enough to take the whole bus for just the three of us up to our hotel, “La Palace de Ponte Di Legno”. The hotel was another sight to behold, with a beautiful entry way made of fine Italian marble. The room we had was 1 bedroom, 1 bathroom with a small television, dining table, and kitchenette. However, I wasn’t going to complain because we had finally arrived in Italy.

The next morning, I awoke to a magnificent site from our room window. In the distance were Italian villas nestled in the valley with snow capped mountains in the distance. Absolute beauty. We decided to spend the day resting and relaxing in Ponte Di Legno.

Well we are still in Newark, NJ (not by choice I can guarantee you). We spent much of yesterday at the airport arguing with uncooperative Continental airline agents. We were put on stand by the airline and actually had positions 1,2,3 on their list for a flight to Paris, only to see the spots go to another family due to major ineptitude on Continental's part. The state of things in the US airports is pretty pathetic. Customer service no longer exists in the travel industry as I see it. We are constantly given the run around and no one seems to care. We have spent two days in Newark, NJ as a result.
However, on the brighterside I was able to watch the Argentina-Serbia and Montenegro match which was amazing. Argentina won 6-0 with a display of textbook soccer. Their passing and finishing was terrific. Go Argentina!
Today we are confirmed for a flight to Zurich at 6:50 p.m. so with any luck we should be in Europe by early tomorrow morning. Once in Zurich we will spend a little time in Switzerland and then take a Eurorail train to Milan, Italy.
Right now mama, dada, and I are just relaxing in a cafe and taking in a world cup match, Mexico-Angola. Tata.

I am writing this blog to document my summer trip to Europe. Over the next 5 weeks my mom, dad, and myself will explore Europe and detail our adventures in this blog. However, the first obstacle in our trip is actually getting to Europe. We left our home in Advance on the 14th of June with Mike Tilly as our driver to the PTI airport. We arrived at the airport early only to find that our first flight from GSO to Newark, NJ was delayed and as a result we missed our connecting flight from Newark, NJ to Paris, France. Once we actually arrived in Newark, NJ we found the customer service of Continental (our ariline) to be horrible. We all had to sleep in the airport luggage terminal like a bunch of homeless hobos because the airline wouldn't provide us with an accomodation. The next day however, we were able to get a room at a HoJo. I watched a little World Cup soccer (Go Argentina!) and slept.