A Dash of Ruins

Today I went into the Coluseum. The structure is amazing and once you enter the building you can really imagine what went on in the ampitheatre once upon a time. It has survived centuries and countless earthquakes that would of demolished our North American buildings. The grandios building is breathtaking to say the least. But I think the best was to describe it across the pond would be by photography.

I have also seen the Pantheon, the Trevi Fountain and the Spanish Steps.

The Pantheon is just big. Theres a cool dome inside of it though. The Spanish Steps are warmed by the sun and because they are so polished are really comfortable to sit on. The Trevi Fountain is gorgeous. It's like a ginormous beautiful bath filled with light aqua water and adorned with multiple statues and mini-pools.

One interesting thing about the Roman fountains is that all the water is drinkable. Literally, you can just fill up your water bottle in the fountains.

welcome to the strangers

On my first day in Rome I got lost and hopped into a car with a 45 year old Egyptian man.

Normally I wouldn't do this. But I was feeling extremely adventerous and the intense heat probably degraded my conscious side. I felt that he was safe. He was nice. I did't get attacked. He owned a garden shop, my dad loves gardening. So I gave it a thunbs up and hopped in to the car. And then arrived safely in the hostel. the end

During the day I witnessed this artist making paintings out of spray paint. It was definately performance art to say the least. He knew he had a crowd and thus he painted with vigility and almost anger. He was pretty cool and boy did he know how to spray paint! The paintings ended up looking highly polished. I bought one for my brother.

And that evening I ended chatting it up with a homeless man. He was pretty cool. And he was chilling with his two bunny rabbits.

Bonjourno Roma

Well right now I am in Rome and I have to say that this is a pretty cool city. I actually prefer it to Lisbon. Rome is a city that is highly entertaining in the fact that it's a city filled with ruins. And boy are they massive! They ancient buildings are magnificient not only in their structure and in their detail but also their incomparable size. I can hardly imagine how long it took to make the sculptures and to erect all the buildings. I now understand how Rome was a super power. They knew exactly what they were doing. They must have been excellent architects.

One thing about Europe is that the people here made things to last a lifetime. They made their mark by a legacy in which they created unephemeral products to mark their place in history. This is one thing that I really appreciate. In North America its cheap'n'quick. I can notice that people in Europe took time and effort to make things beautiful. And because of this, the city is bathing in architectal and art history.

Lagos is where it's at

Well Portugal is coming to it's end. Already a week gone by. Boy, does time fly!

So the last two days I have been spending in Lagos, which to me is pretty near to the ideal summer spot. I would say it's Portugals' Tofino. Lagos is in the south of Portugal. If you go any more south you hit Morrocco.

I took a bus to Lagos from Lisbon. It was so beautiful and the scenary felt like it belonged in Africa. I saw skinny brown cows grazing in the grass, except the grass wasn't green? Maybe thats why they were so skinny.

In Laos I went on a dolphin excursion in the channel of Atlantic water between Portugal and Morroco. It sounds so cheesy but I really wanted to see them and I haven't ever seen dolphins up close in the wild before. I was so excited when they came to the boat. I wanted to jump off the boat so badly. They were common dolphins with white bellies. They probably were probably between 5 and 6 feet long. They would follow the boat and surf the waves. They were jumping and having a good time. I think they know that they are liked and then they get really excited to see humans.

Lagos is hot. It was 30 degrees when I was venturing but the locals told me it normally should of been between 40 and 45 dgrees celcius. Suprisingly, the water isn't that warm.

Then today I went on a kayak trek which was also fun. I went through some caves and explored a lot of the south of Portugal gravitating towards the Atlantic ocean. There are so many interesting rock formations and caves. The coast is an accumulaiotn of pourous cliffs. They are tan and the layers of formation are more than evident. We also saw some ancient ruins from three hundred years past of a temple that fell because of an earthquake.

After that I hit the beach with some friends I made. I have decided that my body looks like uncooked white chicken with a burnt Malta meatball for a head. And now, I load on the SPF.

Well, next stop: Rome

SURFING in Portugal

Today I woke up bright and early and I hopped onto a Moped and drove to the nearest town to pick up some cash ( our town is so . Actually, I was just sitting in the moped behind some guy from the hostel. But it was my first time and it was really fun. We were wizzing down the highway. I wanted to drive but you need a drivers' permit.

After that I headed to the beach and had an amazing surf. Absolutely wicked. The waves were great and of a light turquoise color. I caught some 'greens' and even glided my thingers through the waves. I was on such an adrenaline high. And I was so happy that I was singing in the waves. Making up my own lyrics to songs I only know of the melody...

Then I relaxed in the sand dunes. And got burnt. Disgusting creature I am for not pounding on the SPF. I didn't even think about it. The Portuguese sun is waaay stronger then the Canadian sun, I'll tell you that. The owner of the hostel has been taking care of me with his giant aloe vera plant. My skin is the same color as my lips.

This is the sickest hostel I've ever been in. It's so cool. It's kinda like a house ontop of a hill overlooking the Atlantic ocean.

SURFING in Portugal!

Yup today was a good day. I'm in the countryside beside the best surfing beach of Portugal. I really like this.

So I changed hostels and towns and am getting way more used to this traveling-solo-in-a-foreign-country thing.

So today I went surfing. The water is light and warm but you still need a wetsuit. But it was sooooooooo windy. To the death of me! This ain't no Tofino, folks. No beach break. Just huge waves crashing. Never a break and no sets. I was on a 6.8 almost-funboard and I only caught about five green waves.

However due to the wind... the kite surfers and wind surfers were having a blast. They are so cool. I was mesmerized while watching them do flips ontop of the waves. They really get a lot of air!

I don't look anything like I normally do. No make-up and I've stopped brushing my hair all together. I'm looking more and more like my position as homeless. haha! But people here in Portugal are way less image contious and I really appreciate this of the people. Everyone is just so relaxed.

Portugal

This morning started bright (not literally) and early. I woke up at 2:30 am and was out by 3:00 am. I was a bit on a mental high while walking through the shady streets at that time of night with all my luggage. The last drunks were hopping into taxis and my adventure was yet to begin. I was waiting at the bus stop when a taxi dude came up to a bunch of us and offered a ride to the airport for the same price. We submitted.

I was the first to arrive for my flight. I forget how here international flights aren't as international since were in the same continent.

Upon arrival into Lisbon the heat was the first thing that woke me up. A whole whopping 31 degrees celsius. I guess summer never hit Ireland.

Lisbon is beautiful but weird. I have never ever been in a city like this before. Obviousely and duh. The streets are made up of tiny white squares of rock that make up something of a mosaic. The whole city is of cream tones and is on slant. You either are walking straight up a street or sliding down another. It's almost as if the city is placed on tiny little mountains.

Right away I figured the city wasn't right for me. I needed the country, I needed the beach. I needed color. So I peaced off and took a train to Cascais. Cascais is paradise. A beautiful seaside town full of beachbums. Everyone looks like toast. I've never seen so many grannies in string bikinies in my life (or in just the bottems). The water isn't as hot as you'd think but the air is boiling. Except, I forgot my bathing suit. So tommorrow I'm gonna try and go for a surf.

Needless to say during this day a weiner dog tried to mull me and some old guy was trying to sell me weed buds.

And to conclude, it is so hard to speak over here! I don't know anything in Portuguese. And vice versa.